Innovating, Empowering and Transforming

The innovations

ZEGU is leading the work on this through the appropriate deployment of affordable, locally available and effective technologies for vulnerable communities. The work involves:

• design and installation of low-cost full body sanitisation booths
• design a 3 in 1 sanitising station for handwashing, sanitising feet/boots  and hand sanitising 

We are adapting/ designing these items specifically for the IDP communities we are working with to ensure they have access to hygiene facilities appropriate for the situation and environment they are living in. Full body sanitisation booths can be constructed simply using locally available materials. Due to overcrowding issues and accommodation consisting of compound type housing, such booths are more suitable for the environment, and they can be installed in schools and other public spaces. These booths may be particularly useful for children who do not practice proper handwashing.  

Manufactured hand sanitisers can be expensive, therefore constructing automatic or foot-controlled sanitiser dispensers can be easily made using materials readily available at the settlements. A cheaper sanitiser has been developed which is currently undergoing tests.

Footbaths are essential to sanitise feet, especially for children who may remove their footwear as they play outside. They are also valuable for preventing cross-contamination at the sanitisation station. These are easily made using metal or plastic materials sourced within the settlements.  

Sustainability

All of the above items can continue to be used beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic to wash hands and fight against other infections such as diarrhoeal diseases, including cholera. Cholera has become endemic in some parts of Zimbabwe, therefore it is critical to look beyond COVID-19. As they are made of locally available materials, they are easy to repair, and communities can be trained on their maintenance. Long life batteries can be used to operate the sanitisers and baths, and we will look into the possibility of using solar power as a source of energy. A community committee will also be established to take responsibility for maintaining and protecting the innovations. 

Empowering IDPs through entrepreneurship 

The project seeks to empower the community to manage the pandemic beyond the life-span of the project. We aim to provide training for the IDP communities to start their own income-generation projects with potential for income emancipation of the informal settlement dwellers through the Matarenda Model of Entrepreneurship. The Matarenda model is a non-credit based entrepreneurship model, founded by Professor Ezekiel Guti, founder of a Pentecostal Church. The model has impacted the lives of many people living in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe and beyond, with evidence of poverty alleviation. The academic community has only recently begun to pay attention to the model’s capacity to improve the lives of poverty stricken populations as evidenced by the church membership managing to economically thrive in environments of crippling economic crises both in Zimbabwe and abroad. A toolkit based on the Matarenda model will engage IDPs in income generating activities. Members from the Church are working with the project team to produce the toolkit which will be shared among the IDP communities to train them. The training will include:

• learning to make a cheaper, sodium-based sanitiser to ensure the full body sanitisers, sanitisation dispensers and footbaths have a continuous supply of sanitising product
• adaptation of the balaclava and face shields. Balaclavas are worn by many in Zimbabwe, therefore, we are working to redesign this item of clothing to provide protection against COVID-19. The adapted shield can also be beneficial to the hard of hearing who have to lip read for effective communication. It is anticipated that the adapted protective innovations could become popular among children and teachers as they return to school.  Once proven useful, advocacy activities and messaging can be directed at achieving widespread acceptance and adoption of the headgear
• learning to make reusable face masks that may become an income-generator for local communities. 
• developing a formula for home-made detergents/soaps using locally available and affordable material to make and sell. All the reusable Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) need to be washed with detergent, therefore it is critical that there is a continuous supply of affordable detergents/soaps. This project has developed a formula for the detergents/soaps using locally sourced and available materials. These can be produced in the IDP communities and be a possible income generator.
• a transparent facemask that can be used by children who have disabilities has been developed.

Transforming Public Health Education for IDPs around COVID-19

The Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), in partnership with local and international organisations (WHO and UNICEF) has ensured information on COVID-19 is abundantly available to its populace through the media, community training and mobile vans. However, our research reveals that such messaging is not appropriate or accessible for IDP communities in informal settlements. The settlements are overcrowded making social distancing a challenge, and access to clean water and sanitisers is limited. Living in abject poverty means the IDP population have immense difficulty in buying PPEs such as face masks. 

Consequently, a transformative public health education programme is necessary that accommodates working with trusted community leaders, and embracing the knowledge and expertise of their local communities. Existing public health material needs to be adapted for the context-based needs of IDPs, and made child friendly. To do this, we set out to: 

• conduct surveys within the settlements to identify existing COVID-19 messaging, their fit among the IDP communities, and the gaps within this context
• develop COVID-19 public education material appropriate for the IDP communities. The team has access to draft material from the Information Education and Communication (IEC) Unit which is based on the WHO and MOHCC COVID-19 prevention guidelines. This will form the basis of our public education work.
• engage with the Ministry of Local Government City Health to collaborate in the training of IDP health promoters who can facilitate and increase the reach for public health education