As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, it poses risks for children and families living in vulnerable situations worldwide: access to medical care is compromised, education disrupted and mental distress increases. Discover three ways Terre des hommes uses its expertise and technology to respond to the Covid-19 crisis.
Prevent – Gravit’eau
Gravit’eau are mobile hand-washing stations which use a very small amount of water thanks to a self-regenerating system. Tdh tested the innovation in the crisis context of North Nigeria which proved to be very effective. It is now deployed in refugee camps and health centres in Mali and Burkina Faso to combat disease transmission. “Gravit’eau creates behavioural change in children and provides them with a proper hand-washing culture. The foot-operated water pumps limit the transmission of germs,” explains Idris Kabiru, our Deputy WaSH Manager in Nigeria.
Predict – IeDA
Our digital health solution on a tablet (IeDA) accompanies medical staff in the diagnosis of children under five. It is used in more than 60 per cent of all health centres in Burkina Faso. We have added features to identify potential cases of Covid-19 in both children and adults. IeDA enables the Ministry of Health to monitor the medical situation of millions of people and the proper functioning of health care structures. We are currently developing analytical tools that use artificial intelligence to predict new outbreaks of the Covid-19 pandemic and monitor its spread in real time.
Protect – FabLabs
Humanitarian FabLabs (Fabrication Laboratories) are an educational space for children and young people in refugee, migration or exploitation situations to create their own projects with technologies such as laser cutters and 3D printers. These labs have been closed to beneficiaries due to confinement. Our partners IOM in Djibouti and Ouagalab in Burkina Faso turned them temporarily into small production units for protective equipment for health workers such as masks, face shields and gloves. In Burkina Faso, when our FabLab reopens to the public, we will be able to train young people so that they can produce protective equipment themselves, thus starting their own small business and becoming independent.