An Israeli startup placed handwashing hygiene stations in the Indian cities of Bangalore and Podochary in order to encourage local residents, both children and adults, to wash their hands properly and effectively to reduce morbidity from infectious diseases.
The stations, developed by Israel Development, were self-funded by the startup Soapy Care and placed in remote rural areas that suffer from high childhood mortality rates due to intestinal diseases that spread mainly due to unclean hands.
"The model we have adopted for permanent donation to the global community allows the project to exist over time because it is not dependent on donations, and our customers are partners in reducing the morbidity of children and adults worldwide," said Max Simnovsky, CEO of Soapy Care, adding that the company had "many more facilities that have already been relocated to India."
Thanks to an artificial intelligence technology, the facilities are examining whether the rinsing was performed in an effective way that cleans the hands of any bacteria and viruses, giving immediate feedback via a smart screen and enabling users to learn how to wash their hands properly, including the wrists and the back, which are frequently neglected.
Moreover, during rinsing, the device measures body temperature so that any risk of coronavirus symptoms can be identified.
The facilities are very economical in both water and soap, as well as electricity, an important factor for a country such as India.
The development has won international awards for its groundbreaking approach to solving this global problem.