Lifebuoy Exhibits "˜28 Days' at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture

Lifebuoy held its "˜28 Days' Exhibition on 26th March at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture to showcase Arif Mehmood, Malika Abbas and Tapu Javeri's photographs, as part of the soap brand's neonatal health awareness campaign to educate mothers about infant mortality within the first 28 days of a child being born that results from poor hygiene. 

The photographs were published in the "˜28 Days' book "“ published by Markings Publishing for Pakistan "“ describing their experiences in capturing Lifebuoy's campaign in the rural and less-privileged urban areas of Pakistan. 

Malika Abbas thought "it was an enlightening experience to be a part of those women's lives, who after a few days of giving birth were back to work in the fields and taking care of their newborns in an environment where the concept of a toilet was unheard of amongst other such basics."  

For Markings Publishing and its publisher Kiran Aman, the exhibition highlighted the importance of hygiene in the first 28 days of a newborn baby's life. "It is about each photographer's journey exploring hygiene through environment, contact at birth and the ongoing interaction with the new born." 

Arif Mehmood felt an intimate connection during his time photographing families with their newborn babies. "It was a close family affair and to be a part of it reminded me of the time when I was a young father."

Lifebuoy's neonatal hygiene campaign is vital to reduce preventable infant deaths by the simple exercise of washing hands when handling newborns, according to Marketing Director Fariyha Subhani. She said that 1.2 million children die annually due to diarrhea and pneumonia and that over 40% of these deaths occur in the first 28 days of childbirth. In this regard, hand washing with soap is the most effective way to reduce these deaths.