Recently-retired cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar became UNICEF’s first ambassador for South Asia and where he will support United Nation’s efforts to promote hygiene and sanitation in the region. Tendulkar, who was also earlier part of the UNICEF campaigns for polio and global hand washing will be travelling to various parts of South Asia including Nepal to voice the need for proper sanitation.
Tendulkar was baffled to see the “astronomical” numbers of child casualties that could have been prevented by simple hand washing. UNICEF reports that 1600 people die every day because of diarrhea. The toll is about 50,000 per year in Nepal. Tendulkar expressed working for ssanitationin South Asia would be second innings of his life and would be as important to him to his previous one.
“My only wish is if we could bring those astronomical numbers as low as possible then we would have achieved something. I can speak for myself that I would have achieved something post my cricketing years. The second innings of my life that I am playing along with UNICEF is really important and it means a lot to me” expressed Tendulkar during the signing ceremony
After the signing ceremony Tendulkar spoke to The Kathmandu Post.“He hailed the recent success of Nepal’s cricket team” reads The Kathmandu Post post on the issue. Post quotes Tendulkar, “I congratulate the Nepal cricket team for qualifying for the T20 World Cup. Big, big congratulations to Nepal for the great achievement. I look forward to visiting Nepal and helping the children there.”
