JINJA —A primary school in Jinja District has been crowned national champion of Uganda’s first Dettol Hygiene Quest Festival.
Burugo Primary School beat 158 other schools in the nationwide competition, which used music, dance and drama to teach children lifelong hygiene habits.
A total of 159 schools took part, with 25 reaching the grand finale. The finalists staged performances promoting sanitation, handwashing and disease prevention, blending cultural expression with public health messages.
Burugo Primary School received a token of appreciation in recognition of its commitment to hygiene improvement.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports, district local government leaders and representatives of non-governmental organisations attended the finale.
Speakers stressed the importance of innovative, participatory approaches in advancing Uganda’s national health and education goals.
Dr Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, founder and chief executive of Chil AI Lab and focal person for the Dettol Hygiene Quest in Uganda, said the festival had shown the power of the arts in health education.
“By using music, dance and drama, we have seen students move beyond rote learning to internalise hygiene as part of their cultural identity,” she said.
“The creativity displayed by Burugo Primary School and all our finalists proves that when we engage children through the arts, the message of health resonates deeply and effectively.”
Dr Kaliisa promised the festival would return next year “bigger and bolder”, adding: “The success of this year’s festival proves that our children are the best ambassadors for change.”
The Dettol Hygiene Quest is supported by Reckitt, the maker of Dettol, Jik and other consumer products.
Technology partners, including Chil AI Lab, combine the programme’s community-based creative platforms with digital tools such as the Dettol Hygiene Quest AI Chatbot.
The tools are used in school activities to reduce hygiene-related absenteeism and encourage healthy habits among pupils.
The initiative works with government and school partners in Uganda to improve sanitation infrastructure and promote better health outcomes for students.
