Overview
WaterSHED in Vietnam seeks to catalyze a market-driven solution to enable consistent handwashing: one of the most cost-effective tools for alleviating a tremendous disease burden among the poor, especially children under five. It is an especially effective barrier against diarrheal disease, which is responsible for more child deaths worldwide than HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria combined. A recent systematic review of observational and experimental studies cited reductions in diarrhea of 48 percent for handwashing with soap (Cairncross, et al., 2010). Until now, no purpose-built handwashing device has been available on the market in Vietnam.
The aim is to create a dynamic commercial market in Vietnam for handwashing devices in which businesses can earn an attractive return, consumers are empowered, and in which the gains from large scale behavior change programs are cemented with consistent, practiced behavior. Developed through a rigorous design and iterative testing phase through 2010, the HappyTap product reflects the right mix of aesthetic appeal, functionality, durability, and affordability. In 2012 under a USAID DIV grant to WaterSHED, limited-scale test-marketing validated assumptions about the product price, distribution strategy, and ultimately the marketability of the device. During that phase, 95 percent of consumers said they would wash their hands more frequently with a HappyTap, and 79 percent said they would buy one if it was available in the market.
Expanded Partnerships
- Are you a distributor / retailer in South Vietnam interested in new products?
- Do you have an active or planned handwashing / hygiene project in Vietnam?
- Are you interested in working with us on this project?
- Do you want to receive updates on the project’s progress and future plans?
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References
* Cairncross, S., Hunt, C., Boisson, S., Bostoen, K., Curtis, V., Fung, I., et al. (2010). Water, sanitation and hygiene for the prevention of diarrhea. International Journal of Epidemiology , i193-205.
