The Source of a Healthy Future: An Awareness-Raising Event Held Among Schoolchildren

TAGTABAZAR. Protecting public health, promoting healthy lifestyles, and cultivating a culture of health care among the younger generation are at the core of the noble work carried out by the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan (NRCST). To this end, on November 3 of this year, an impactful awareness-raising event titled "My Health is My Wealth" was organized among 4th-grade students at Secondary School No. 9, located within the Tagtabazar etrap of Mary velayat. At the beginning of the event, Gulpamyk Garajayeva, the representative of the Mary velayat branch of the NRCST for Tagtabazar etrap, delivered a speech providing the students with comprehensive information about the humanitarian activities, goals, duties, and community importance of the national society. Preparing for the Winter Season: The Golden Rules of Health Protection With the approach of the winter season and changing weather conditions, the prevention of influenza and acute respiratory infections becomes highly relevant. Moving forward from this point, the main part of the meeting focused on teaching children the specific techniques of protecting themselves from seasonal illnesses. During the event, the following useful tips required for strengthening health and boosting the body's defensive forces (immunity) were explained to the students: • Dressing appropriately for the season; • Maintaining a proper diet; • Protecting oneself from the cold, avoiding cold drinks, and preventing severe overexposure to low temperatures; • Keeping the body and hands constantly clean, which is the first step in disease prevention. The information regarding hygiene and health rules was presented not as a standard lecture, but in an effective interactive format tailored to the children's age groups. This enabled the 4th-grade students to comprehend the topic much more easily and with greater interest. At the conclusion of the awareness-raising event, a question-and-answer session was held among the students. The schoolchildren received precise and clear answers from the specialists regarding the queries that interested them. This meeting not only provided the children with new knowledge but also further reinforced their sense of personal responsibility toward their own health.