Pwani Oil Products Limited, the manufacturer of Detrex Antibacterial Soap, has donated 10,000 pieces of soap to Rotary District 9212 for distribution to 2,000 schools across Kenya, in a programme aimed at strengthening handwashing practices in learning institutions. The initiative was announced in Nairobi on March 27, 2026, with distribution expected to take place during the second academic term of 2026.

According to the statement, Rotary District 9212 will coordinate the rollout through its education and community service networks, working with school administrations to prioritise institutions where hygiene resources are most constrained. The soap is intended to support handwashing stations installed by Rotary in beneficiary schools “for at least one term,” Detrex said.

The programme comes against what the statement described as persistent sanitation challenges in Kenya. UNICEF data cited in the release indicates that about 75% of households in Kenya lack handwashing facilities with soap and water, underscoring the role schools play in promoting hygiene practices among children.

Company officials said the donation is intended to reinforce hygiene routines that public health experts consider cost-effective in reducing infectious diseases, including diarrhoeal and respiratory illnesses that can contribute to school absenteeism. The release also pointed to global evidence cited by UNICEF that hygiene and sanitation interventions could prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths among children under five each year.

“This partnership reflects our belief that health protection begins with simple daily habits such as handwashing. Together with Rotary, we are investing in the wellbeing of learners and in the health resilience of their families and communities,” said Rajul Malde, Commercial Director of Pwani Oil Products Limited.

Rotary District 9212 said it will use its networks across the region to implement the distribution. The district is a regional division of Rotary International covering Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Eritrea, according to the statement.

“Providing soap may appear simple, but it is one of the most effective interventions in protecting children’s health and dignity in schools. We are indeed grateful to Pwani Oil for supporting us with the tools needed to practise proper hygiene, ultimately making learning environments become safer,” said Wairimu Njage, Governor of Rotary District 9212.

For Kenya’s education and consumer goods sectors, the initiative highlights the growing role of private sector and civil society partnerships in sustaining school health measures put in place during the Covid-19 period, when handwashing infrastructure expanded in many public institutions. It also illustrates how manufacturers can channel in-kind contributions to address operational gaps in schools, particularly in rural areas where access to water, sanitation and hygiene supplies remains uneven.

Detrex said the programme is expected to extend impact beyond schools by encouraging handwashing habits in households, especially in communities where access to soap is limited. The next milestone will be the distribution phase over the second term of 2026, as schools integrate the supplies into daily hygiene routines alongside ongoing health education programmes, the statement said.