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Povu Poa Handwashing Stations Kenya

Kenya, East Africa

Povu Poa ("Cool Foam" in Kiswahili) is a water-efficient, soap-frugal handwashing system developed by Innovations for Poverty Action and Catapult Design for areas without reliable piped water. The system costs just $0.10 per 100 handwashes (vs $0.45 for conventional stations) and features a hygienic swing tap operable with the back of the hand. In schools, soap availability increased from <1% to >50%, and handwashing with soap rose from 0% to 32%. In clinics, handwashing jumped from 0% to 76.5%.

Behavior Goal

Make handwashing with soap easy, affordable, and hygienic in water-scarce settings through innovative station design

Methods & Approaches

Behavioral Nudges

Implementers & Partners

  • Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)
  • Catapult Design
  • Kenya Ministry of Health

Donors & Sponsors

  • USAID
  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Various Development Partners

Key Takeaways

  • 1Human-centered design produces solutions adapted to resource constraints
  • 2Reducing cost per handwash dramatically increases uptake
  • 3Hygienic tap design (wrist-operable) prevents recontamination
  • 4Subsidy pricing increases adoption (86% at $4 vs 11% at $12)

Sources

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