Entrepreneurs and hospitals are trying everything from portable automatic hand sanitizer dispensers to pop quizzes about hygiene and alarm sounding soap dispensers to get doctors to wash their hands more frequently. This is a priority around the world as well to prevent diarrhea in children.
The Rehydration Project reports that a child dies of diarrhea every 26 seconds. Lifebuoy and Geometry Global are attempting to decrease this rate with a new hand-washing program for kids in rural India.
The Jump Pump encourages children to wash their hands by enticing them to jump on the playground-like structure. Jumping pumps out clean water for their classmates to use to wash away deadly bacteria.
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The playground model water pump is designed to make it easier for children to use the heavy, hand-operated pumps used to dispense clean water. By attaching a rocking horse-like seat to the pump, children don’t have to struggle to wash their hands before they eat.
National creative director for Geometry Global, India, Vipul Salvi, said:
“We need to keep pushing the limits of creativity to help solve basic problems like poor hygiene… the great thing about the Jump Pump is that it worked like a charm with kids while being cost-effective and easy to implement.”
Adding to that initiative, president of Geometry Global, India, Rahul Saigal, said:
“Sometimes the best way to teach kids an important lesson is to distract them into learning. You can’t engage children by mere preaching, you need to talk to them in a language they understand: the language of play!”
On top of Lifebuoy’s efforts with the Jump Pump, Geometry Global has helped promote the pump by creating a heat stamp (pictured at right) that reads, “Did you wash your hands with Lifebuoy?” This stamp is then pressed on India’s staple bread, the roti, which is served at every meal. The stamp serves to remind all to wash their hands of all harmful bacteria before sitting down to eat.
With Lifebuoy making it easier to stay healthy while having fun, and Geometry Global reinforcing the handwashing message, children in India are taking care of their own health one stamp and jump at a time.
To see Lifebuoy’s promotional video for the Jump Pump, click here.
