Oct 13, 2016 – Global Hand-washing Day is celebrated annually on Oct 15. To celebrate this special day and advocate good hand-washing behavior to students with special education needs, recently, Galaxy Entertainment Group (“GEG”) and Clean the World Asia (“CTW”) organized a green hygiene education workshop at Escola Caritas de Macau. During the event, GEG volunteers and CTW representatives demonstrated proper hand-washing methods and advocated healthy hygiene habits to over 70 students with special education.

Since 2014, GEG has been working with CTW on the roll-out of different activities aimed at promoting environmental awareness, sustainability and volunteerism. Last Wednesday, more than 10 GEG volunteers and CTW representatives met with the staff of Escola Caritas de Macau to learn about the learning curriculums of students with special educational needs, visit the school’s facilities and classrooms, and to meet with more than 70 special needs students that have been gathered at the school auditorium for the start of the green hygiene activities. CTW representatives and GEG volunteers kicked-off the event by introducing Global Hand-washing Day. Following the brief introduction, CTW representatives and GEG volunteers performed a short role-play where “Soap Warriors” and “Germs” playfully educated students how the proper use of soap can help prevent the spread of germs and disease. Joining CTW representatives, GEG volunteers and students sang a hand-washing song which includes the 7-step instructions to proper hand-washing. In addition, paper plates were also distributed to students and placed on large sign-boards as a kind reminder for them to wash their hands and keep away from germs. To conclude the activity, CTW representatives presented appreciation certificates to the GEG Volunteer Team and Escola Caritas de Macau. In addition, GEG volunteers also distributed gift packs containing CTW’s recycled soap, a lined notebook and a handmade fan to students.

Mr. Kenny Liu, who joined GEG’s volunteering activity for the first time, considered the activity meaningful. He said that because children are more vulnerable to infectious diseases and illness, the green hygiene workshop helps educate students to become more alert to the way that they wash their hands and encourages them to develop better personal habits that help prevent the spread of harmful germs among students. Ms. Gyneth Tan-Murphy, Director of Marketing & Communications, Clean the World Asia Ltd. expressed her gratitude for GEG’s support and participation in CTW’s soap recycling program. She acknowledges GEG for proactively arranging a variety of volunteering activities to attract volunteers and to promote green concepts to the public. CTW has been working closely with GEG’s property hotels including StarWorld Hotel, Banyan Tree Macau, Galaxy Hotel™, Hotel Okura Macau, JW Marriot Hotel Macau, Ritz-Carlton Macau, The Broadway Hotel, and other hotels in Macau on resources recycling. As of today, GEG has collected nearly 34,000kg of used soap bars, amenity bottles and water bottles from its hotels for CTW’s further categorization, recycling, processing and distribution to developing countries and other beneficiaries, so as to help those in need and contribute to environmental protection.