South Kalimantan, 15 March 2024 – In the holy month of Ramadan, Unilever Indonesia, through its brands like Pepsodent, Lifebuoy, Sunsilk, Citra, Glow & Lovely, Bango, Royco, Wipol, Vixal, Sunlight, Rinso, and Molto, has organized a series of activities involving thousands of male and female Islamic school students (santri), as well as the community in South Kalimantan. The activities include education on clean and healthy living behaviors including oral and dental health care, free health check-ups, support for mosque cleanliness, food donations, and a series of upskilling classes. The various activities aim to assist the local community in better preparing for the month of Ramadan.
Nurdiana Darus, Director and Corporate Secretary of Unilever Indonesia, said, "The month of Ramadan is an important moment where Muslims strive to maximize their worship. As the province with the largest Muslim population in Kalimantan Island - approximately 97% of the total population- optimal support is important for the people in this region to comfortably perform their worship. Therefore, Unilever Indonesia, through its brands, has organized several initiatives and partnered with various parties so that more people can enjoy the benefits of the programs. It is hoped that this series of activities can contribute to the people of South Kalimantan in carrying out their worship in this blessed month."
In carrying out its initiatives in South Kalimantan, Unilever Indonesia collaborates with leading institutions including the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Dewan Masjid Indonesia (DMI), the Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (BAZNAS), and the Faculty of Dentistry at Lambung Mangkurat University in Banjarmasin.
Head of the Department of Religious Education and Islamic Education in the South Kalimantan Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, H. Ahmad Sawiti, S.Ag., M.H.I, expressed support and appreciation for Unilever Indonesia's initiatives, "We are grateful for Unilever Indonesia for organizing this program and I hope it can be implemented more widely, not only in 1 or 2 Islamic boarding schools but more extensively."
In the health and hygiene field, Unilever Indonesia, through its brands Lifebuoy and Pepsodent, conducted several education and healthcare programs benefiting 700 students at the Darussalam Martapura Islamic Boarding School in Banjarbaru City. Lifebuoy conducted various activities including education and free health check-ups to improve Clean and Healthy Lifestyle Behavior (PHBS) among the students.
Pepsodent, on the other hand, provided education on oral and dental health care, as well as free dental care to the students. According to the Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data from 2018, South Kalimantan is among the top three areas with the highest dental and oral health problems in Indonesia, with cavities being the most prevalent issue.
The head of Darussalam Martapura, KH. Ahmad Tarhib, explained that the event held before Ramadan 1445 H in his Islamic boarding school was very appropriate both in terms of timing and program. "This moment is well fit to be held before Ramadan, so it reminds us of cleanliness, both physically and spiritually. However, this cleanliness must be maintained every day, not just when welcoming the month of Ramadan. By providing education on how to maintain oral and dental health, we hope that our students will be able to maintain their oral and dental health even while fasting."
Not only education and free health check-ups, empowerment efforts for women, especially female students, were also conducted by Unilever Indonesia through the #AksiCantik program supported by Sunsilk, Citra, and Glow & Lovely brands, consisting of a series of activities including womenpreneurship, women education, and craftpreneurship. This program was attended by 600 female students from the Al Hikmah Kelayan Islamic Boarding School in Banjarmasin, who received training in much-needed soft skills and hard skills from expert speakers.
Regarding environmental cleanliness, Unilever Indonesia, through its five brands - Wipol, Vixal, Sunlight, Rinso, and Molto - strengthened its partnership with the DMI in organizing the "Gerakan Masjid Bersih 2024" program held at the Sabilal Muhtadin Grand Mosque in Banjarmasin. This activity involved more than 150 volunteers who cleaned the mosque area to prepare it to be cleaner and more hygienic for Ramadan. This activity is expected to provide extra comfort and peace of mind for over 1,500 worshippers who visit the mosque daily for prayers or gatherings.
To support a broader community in welcoming Ramadan, Unilever Indonesia, through the Bango and Royco brands, collaborated with BAZNAS to distribute 1,100 food packages to underprivileged people in South Kalimantan. This activity aims to strengthen food access for economically vulnerable groups.
Previously, Unilever Indonesia had reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the welfare of Muslim communities through long-term collaboration commitments and humanitarian aid distribution partnerships with various trusted social institutions, including NU Care-LAZISNU (a philanthropic institution under Nahdlatul Ulama), Lazismu (a social institution under Muhammadiyah), and BAZNAS. A total of Rp6 billion in aid has been distributed to assist victims in conflict areas.