COVID-19: Youth invents bar soap dispenser
The machine is best suited for public places such as schools, markets, arcades and hospitals among others. It can also be used in homes as well.
With the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, hand-washing has become a core preventive measure against the spread of the virus.
However, the use of bar (solid) soap at public hand-washing stations comes with two major challenges; theft and continuous handling with risks of further disease transmission.
In response to these challenges, Dixon Aine the founder of Sustainable Youth Development Foundation (SDYF) invented a bar soap dispenser for public hand-washing stations.
"There was an innovation competition organized by Engineers without Borders-USA, in partnership with the Response Innovation Lab Uganda that I chose to participate in," he says.
Aine adds that he decided to come up with the solid soap dispenser in May 2020, because he had been producing liquid hand wash soap but it wasn't reaching a significant number of people.
"This dispenser is 100% made of light metal fabric and tube," he says.
He adds that it is best suited for public places such as schools, markets, arcades and hospitals among others. It can also be used in homes as well.
How it works
On acquiring the dispenser, Aine advises to mount, screw or clamp it on the hand-washing station.
After, open the lockable top and place your bar soap (any length) but the thickness has to be that of a normal bar soap. Then lock with a padlock.
Pull the handle of the cutting blade below outwards to slide the soap down then push the handle back inside to cut a small slice off the bar soap that is for a one time use.
Maintenance and cost
The only key maintenance needed is oiling the blade part to prevent rusting. He says the machine costs sh25,000.