Oxfam & MyMiniFactory crowdsourcing 3D printable hand wash system for Syrian refugees
Oxfam, a registered charity in England, Wales and Scotland has partnered with MyMiniFactory, a 3D printable file sharing platform, for the launch of Oxfam 3D Printing project, which uses 3D printers to deliver assistance in locations suffering a humanitarian emergency.
The project calls on 3D designers worldwide, to contribute their energy to create a new product that solves a specific problem during a humanitarian emergency, made possible by using rapid 3D printing pro-typing and a 'Donate by Design' concept.
Project One: Hand sanitization
The first test case for this concept is the Syrian Crisis, specifically supporting refugees who have fled to neighbouring Lebanon. The problem identified in this case is that a better hand wash system is required that will save water and encourage hygiene.
"According to a 2003 study by Curtis & Cairncross, simply washing hands with soap can reduce the risk of diarrhoea by 47% so if this process results in a new product which encourages people to wash their hands more then it will result in a significant improvement in affected people's health in emergencies.", said Angus McBride, Emergency Sanitation Researcher, Oxfam GB.
"Today we have launched the Oxfam 3D Printing project with our first design specification for an efficient and attractive hand washing device. We hope that many 3D Designers across the globe will welcome the opportunity to make a real difference for this charitable cause," said Nick Insall, Makers Exchange – Project Manager at MyMiniFactory.
Stage one is a 2 week open submission period via myminifactory.com. The designs will be sorted through, with a selection been chosen to be sent digitally to a 3D printer operator in the Lebanon to be printed and field tested by Oxfam staff, so that any required improvements or modifications can be identified. This process will repeat over a number of iterations until a final design is ready to be sent to manufacturers for mass production.
Learn more about the project and download the design specification here.