Liquid soap making to improve hand hygiene

Introduction

Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) has been operating in Western Kenya since 2005 with public health programs, research and emergency response. SWAP's mission is to provide innovative solutions for improved health and economic status of communities.

Justification of the production and social marketing of liquid soap

Hand washing with soap is one of the key measures to prevent infections, such as diarrheal illness, COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. Currently the COVID-19 rates have been going down due to accelerated COVID-19 vaccination outreaches and herd immunity. However, there is a recent outbreak of diarrheal illness in the informal settlements which is a public health concern. SWAP is key health stakeholder and member of the Western Kenya Humanitarian Hub and already has been approached by Kisumu County Water and Sanitation and Hygiene Coordinator to intervene. Further the rainy season has started which has led to some flood and people being transferred to overcrowded evacuation centers. Liquid soap is preferred over bar soap. Health care facilities require hand hygiene to prevent hospital acquired infections. Liquid soap is used by both patients, visitors and health workers and is one of the key supplies in the infection prevention and control.

Production of Liquid Soap

Liquid soap is on high demand in the communities we serve. SWAP received Kenya Bureau of Standard approval for the production and distribution for a period of two years. Internal and external control is done by submitting samples for quality control and subjecting it to several tests to meet the desired standards. Production is ongoing, after which labeling is done and it is taken to the central store for safe storage. The Liquid soap is on display at SWAP’s front office, marketed on social media and on SWAP’s website and sold among other health and hygiene products to individuals, health stakeholders and distributed during flood and disease outbreaks. SWAP has over the years many loyal clients and partners, who continue to buy our quality but affordable and life-saving health products. The sales of liquid soap and other health products is a revolving funds and is sustainable, while generating some revenue. However, there is urgent need to invest more into this because of supplies provided for free during emergencies, such as disease outbreaks, flood and other disasters.

Social marketing and distribution of health products and liquid soap

SWAP trained community health volunteers, who are serving 50 to 100 households each with primary health care services. The community health volunteers are trained on social marketing, social behavioral change communication and hygiene promotion and provide basic health education to the households they serve. The community health volunteers are from remote underserved areas and some are widows, others living with HIV with no formal employment. However, through this intervention they become useful members of society by improving health while generating income.

Exhibitions

SWAP uses all opportunities to showcase its products and is as key stakeholders invited in all global health days, such as World Water Day, Global Hand Washing Day, World Toilet Day among others. During these days marketing is done of the life-saving products including the liquid soap. Participants can buy or be referred to the SWAP office or community health volunteers. These exhibitions have become essential to reach out to the larger public.

SWAP participated in the celebration of World Water Day 22^nd of March 2023 where SWAP donated hand washing stations and Liquid soap, while also participating in a tree planting exercise with other partners at the Water Intake.

Adopt A School Initiative

Other beneficiaries of the Liquid soap are the learners and teachers at Schools through the Adopt a School Initiative. This is an initiative which started due to the COVID-19 pandemic to help schools to comply with COVID-19 rules and regulations. Schools were ill prepared and lacked enough WASH infrastructure. SWAP adopted five schools. Schools were given hand washing stations, liquid soap, water tanks among other supplies such as sanitary pads. Also vaccination and deworming of children was facilitated and some investments made in the feeding program. SWAP trained the teachers on the school health policy and encouraged them to start school health clubs, whereby children take responsibility for hand washing demonstrations and ensure that all stations have water and liquid soap.

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Links:

• Annual report 2022
• Strategic Plan 2023 - 2025

• Global Giving Report March 2023 with images (PDF)
  

Introduction

Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) has been operating in Western Kenya since 2005 with public health programs, research and emergency response. SWAP's mission is to provide innovative solutions for improved health and economic status of communities.

SWAP has a wealth of experience in public health interventions and has worked in collaboration with County Health Management Teams to respond to COVID-19 especially with focus on healthcare facilities and the community at large. Currently the country is facing a cholera outbreak and in Uganda, the neighboring country an Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak where Kenya is at high risk due to the trade and porous borders between the two countries. For COVID-19, we are facing the seventh wave and with positivity rates of over 10% for several weeks. The cases are mild and there is an increase in COVID- 19 vaccinations, with now over 50% of the population in Kisumu fully vaccinated. But all the above mentioned public health concerns has triggered increased demand for hand washing stations and soap.

Part of the COVID-19 response was the distribution of hand washing stations to health facilities, community hot spot areas and schools. Community health volunteers were trained to do door to door sales of health products while promoting hygiene through social behavioral change communication. During monitoring of the hand hygiene practices, we observed that bar soap placed at the hand washing stations would be exposed to sun and rain and either dry out get dissolved by water or get very dirty. Theft was also common, or bar soap eaten by goats and rats. This created demand for liquid soap.

Production of Liquid Soap

Following demand from the healthcare workers and community members, SWAP started a production unit for Liquid Soap. Renovations were made of our store and investments were made to procure supplies and ingredients needed. Our Lab technicians were trained on the production of liquid soap using the standards provided by the Kenya Bureau of Standards. Internal controls were done and several samples were taken to the Kenya Bureau of Standards who also visited our lab to assess. Approval was received by the Kenya Bureau of Standards for the production and distribution of Liquid soap for a period of two years.

Distribution of Liquid Soap

One round of distribution was done to 47 healthcare facilities in two sub counties of Kisumu County to all patient care areas. SWAP also ensured that healthcare facilities had hand washing stations and liquid soap placed at strategic points. Apart from the healthcare facilities the soap was also distributed to 34 hot spot areas including 22 worship areas.

A group of Community Health Volunteers had been trained on Social marketing of life saving health products. They do door to door sales and health education. While they improve health at household level, they generate income and become useful members of society. Most of these volunteers are widows and or living with HIV with no formal employment. They as well offer primary health care services and use social behavioral change communication strategy. Their work has reduced stigma and made them self-reliant. They became very essential during the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the products they promote and sell is Liquid soap.

Adopt A School Initiative

Other beneficiaries of the Liquid soap are the learners and teachers at Schools through the Adopt a School Initiative. This is an initiative which started due to the COVID-19 pandemic to help schools to comply with COVID-19 rules and regulations. Schools were ill prepared and lacked enough WASH infrastructure. SWAP adopted three schools in flood prone area, Ombaka Primary, Secondary and Special School. Schools were given hand washing stations, liquid soap, water tanks among other supplies.

• Global Giving Report December 2022 with images (PDF)