By Alie Eleveld | Founder SWAP and Technical Advisor
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 for production of liquid soap
Production of Liquid soap became most relevant and essential during the last quarter. Due to climate change, erratic heavy rainfall, backflow of the lake and bursting of dams and rivers, the area experienced massive floods with people being displaced and evacuated to designated evacuation camps, schools, churches or put up in temporary shelters. These communities were at high risk of water borne diseases and other infections therefore, handwashing was the key intervention to prevent disease outbreaks.
Liquid soap in general is on high demand in the communities we serve. Initially, we would provide bar soaps with handwashing stations, however this soap would get dirty, dry and crumble, get eaten by goats and rodents or get stolen. Instead preference was given to Liquid Soap. SWAP has a water lab which is now also a production unit for liquid soap. 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 ready for distribution. In the last quarter over 200 litres of Liquid Soap was produced. The soap is used for hand washing and general purpose cleaning. 104 bottles of 150 ml and 38 jerrycans of 5 litres are receive for ongoing distribution.
Distribution of Liquid Soap for families affected by flood
Distribution was done to families affected by flood in evacuation centers, improvised shelters and crisis accomodation centers. This was done together with hand washing stations and other food and non-food items.
Through the Adopt a School Initiative, SWAP has selected schools in remote flood prone area with poor infrastructure to help improve hygiene and promote hand hygiene among students to reduce water borne infections and other infections. Recently, we partnered with the Happy Tap, who have developed a hand washing station ideally for schools. With that, Liquid soap was required and produced by SWAP.
Social Marketing of Liquid Soap
Liquid soap is sold by Community Health Promoters who are trained by the Ministry of Health on Primary Health Care and are assigned between 50 and 100 households. They do social marketing of life saving health products among them liquid soap. The community health promoters are mostly women and from poor backgrounds. Others are widows and unemployed. Through this sustainable distribution model, they improve health of their families and the communities and become useful members of society.
Social marketing during events and medical camps
This quarter, SWAP participated in three medical camps. There was a prolonged doctors strike which resulted in many people not able to access medical care in Public hospitals. Some medics in collaboration with partners organized medical camps, where people could be treated and screened. During such events, SWAP used the opportunity to market its services and products. We also contributed and gave donations of hand washing stations and liquid soap.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND DONATIONS
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