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SuperAmma Handwashing Campaign

India, South Asia

SuperAmma was a cluster-randomized trial in rural Andhra Pradesh, India that used emotional drivers—particularly maternal nurturing instincts—rather than health knowledge to promote handwashing with soap. The campaign featured an animated mother character "SuperAmma" and used community events, school skits, animated films, and public pledging ceremonies. Observed handwashing rates increased from 1% to 37% in intervention villages.

Behavior Goal

Increase handwashing with soap at key moments: after defecation, after cleaning a child, before food preparation, and before eating

Implementers & Partners

  • London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
  • Unilever

Donors & Sponsors

  • Unilever
  • UK Research Councils

Key Takeaways

  • 1Emotional drivers (nurturing, disgust) are more effective than health knowledge alone
  • 2Public pledging ceremonies create commitment and social accountability
  • 3Scalable village-level interventions can achieve substantial behavior change
  • 4Evo-Eco theory of behavior change offers practical design framework

Sources

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