Handwashing with soap and water is the most effective way to prevent transmission of many disease-causing germs. It is especially important for young students because they interact closely with many others every day, and because their immune systems are less developed. An estimated 75% of student absenteeism is linked to illnesses caused by lack of handwashing. The School Ambassador program recently launched HappyTap Philippines is a creative approach to address this challenge.

The Rohingya community has faced persecution decades after decades in their own homes, and as a result, they fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh in order to seek asylum. As of 2023, there are about 1 million refugees and 33 camps in Bangladesh hosting the Rohingya community. I had a chance to visit one of the camps in order to see and understand what their daily lives looked like. Here's an account of what I learned.

One of the subthemes of Universal Health Coverage Day in December was "healthy environments," emphasizing the link between a person's environment and their access to healthcare. Progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) depends on the efficiency of healthcare systems. Efficient healthcare systems can reduce costs and expand coverage to more people. It's important to understand the different types of efficiency to prioritize investments and not overlook simple public health improvements, which are crucial in expanding health coverage, and creating healthy environments for all.

Hand hygiene can ensure good health for all. But is having the knowledge of hand hygiene enough? A disruptive hand washing solution that is both affordable and inclusive can be a key to ensuring a better health for all.

Bạn có biết rằng HappyTap đã bắt đầu công việc nghiên cứu và thiết kế về vệ sinh tay tại miền Nam Việt Nam? Annie, thành viên nhóm tại Việt Nam, đã dành toàn bộ thời gian ở quê nhà trong khoảng thời gian đại dịch bùng phát. Cô ấy đã quay trở về trường tiểu học cũ của mình với tầm nhìn như một chuyên gia vệ sinh.

Hygiene might never be the star in the WASH family, but perhaps it need not be.

Solutions to the global sanitation crisis can be generated by a multilateral approach, blending the expertise, research and support of the private sector with the focus and structure of the public sector to enable innovative local enterprises to deliver long-term, desirable solutions.

After launching successfully in Vietnam, HappyTap joined forces with TRANSFORM to take its aspirational yet affordable solution to Bangladesh. The solution – a mass-produced portable sink – is designed to remove structural barriers that prevent people from washing their hands with soap.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aqua for All recognised the need to support water and sanitation service providers who are actively working to control the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable groups. There is an increased demand for such services and limited access to funding.

Behavioural scientist Richard Wright explains how consumer goods supply chains can provide crucial access to goods and services, and thereby have an impact on global poverty.

Despite having a cheap and simple fix that could prevent millions of deaths (handwashing), how to encourage it has puzzled experts for years. The rate of handwashing with soap after using the toilet is still estimated to be only 16%. So how do we get people to wash their hands? Geoff Revell explains how the HappyTap creates new ways to target behaviour.