‘Captain Green’ trains children against dengue

MANILA, Philippines - When “Captain Green” goes to a school for a visit, you know he has an important message to say.                  

In an effort to turn youngsters to be “Dengue Defenders,” Green Cross Insect Repellent Gentle Protect is bringing an interactive program featuring Captain Green to schools all over the country.

Helped by a chock-full of visuals, song-and-dance presentations and audience participation, the hero will deliver the newest information about the disease and the ways to zap its culprit — the dreaded dengue-carrying mosquito.

“We are aware of the gravity of the dengue disease,” says Vince Camua, senior brand manager of Green Cross. “Statistics show that almost half of the people who contracted dengue last year were children from aged 1-10. This is the reason why we are bringing our advocacy to schools and educating them on the myths surrounding the dengue disease.”

While a simple presentation may deliver the information, only an interactive program can impress the importance of dengue protection in the minds of children.

“We really want it to be an opportunity where children are not only listeners but participants,” Vince says. “They can move, sing and dance with Captain Green as they absorb and understand information.”

Hailing from a planet devastated by dengue, Captain Green comes to earth to inform children about the dreaded day (Aedes aegypti) and night (Aedes albopcitus) dengue mosquitoes, how to stop the mosquitoes from multiplying, the tell-tale signs if they are infected, and the precautions they can take to minimize their exposure to mosquito bites.

Near the end of the program, Captain Green unveils his secret weapon: Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion Gentle Protect. Applied once in the morning and once in the evening, the lotion offers clinically proven eight-hour protection against both day-biting and night-biting mosquitoes. Hypoallergenic, non-greasy and fresh-smelling, it is tested safe on the skin of children — and adults as well.

After their stint in the “Dengue Defenders” training camp, children receive interactive comic books and a letter to their parents with product samples of Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion Gentle Protect for them to gain headway in their fight against dengue.

“We believe in the two adages of ‘Starting them young’ and ‘An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,’” says Vince Camua, Green Cross senior product manager. “By arming children with knowledge, we at Green Cross hope to contribute to the lowering of dengue incidents and keeping our young safe and protected.”