Using an interactive and iterative design approach involving representative end users, we created a new handwashing system in Kisumu, Kenya, to make handwashing convenient and economical in areas without reliable piped water. The innovative and adaptable system, branded as Povu Poa (“Cool Foam” in Kiswahili), integrates a cost-effective foaming soap dispenser with a hygienic, water-frugal water tap in a secure and affordable design.
BACKGROUND
Handwashing with soap and water reduces the spread of respiratory and diarrheal disease, the 2 leading causes of death in children under 5 years old.1-5 Studies estimate that handwashing with soap can reduce acute respiratory infections by 21% and the risk of diarrhea by 40%.6,7
In settings without piped water, refilling water containers and securing soap for handwashing requires constant user effort and expense, creating barriers to handwashing with soap. In Kenya, for example, 78% of the population lacks access to household piped water,8 and the prevalence of handwashing with soap after contact with feces is estimated to be 15%.6
78% of the population in Kenya lacks access to household piped water, creating barriers to handwashing with soap.
People are more likely to wash their hands at critical times if they have a dedicated place with soap and water.9 Conventional handwashing stations in Kenya, such as a jug and basin (Figure 1A) or a bucket with a tap (Figure 1B), are prone to soap theft, are cumbersome …