Non-profit group DriButts Diapers and Slingshot Product Development Group worked together to manufacture 720 reusable DriButts diapers, which were delivered to families in Hati. (Image: Slingshot)
Manufacturing Firm Helps to Develop Reusable Diapers for Use in Haiti
Sufficient sanitation is a dilemma in many impoverished nations, and Haiti is no exemption.
However, hundreds of families in a rural portion of the country will now have healthier daily lives thanks to nonprofit organization DriButts, which recently donated its reusable DriButts Diapers. The nonprofit provided two of the diapers, each of which lasts an infant a year, to 360 families.
Read more: Examination of Proposed Manufacturing Standards and Implementation of ISO 18385
Manufacturing played a large role in the effort, which not only will enhance the quality of life for the infants, but potentially save numerous lives. The Georgia-based Slingshot Product Development Group worked with DriButts founder Michael Wahl to create and manufacture the diapers, which are fitted with an anti-microbial, ultra-absorbent bamboo cloth liner.
“Durability is the key to these diapers,” said Wahl, who made the trip to Haiti to distribute the diapers in September. “By providing infants and toddlers in underdeveloped villages with diapers we’re helping eliminate the problem of them openly pooping in the house, which leads to fecal matter contamination of food and water. When this happens, there’s uncontrolled spread of diseases like dysentery, cholera, typhus fever and typhoid.”
The two groups made a manufacturing process with a reasonable price tag a priority so that the number of diapers distributed throughout Haiti could be maximized. However, the demand was much greater than what was handed out.
“We could have handed out thousands of diapers in each village if we had them,” Wahl said. “We had to turn people away. We have requests for tens of thousands of diapers for villages and orphanages.”
The upkeep of the diapers is crucial, which is why Wahl and village leaders helped to teach parents how to best use and clean the diapers. Soap was provided to help maximize cleanliness.
“Most people in this area have never seen reusable diapers like this that fit a child from infancy through potty training,” says Wahl. “They’re very excited and honored to receive the diapers. They really treat the DriButts Diapers like gold.”
With his latest visit, Wahl has made the trip to Haiti 20 times in the past three years. DriButts hopes to create more diapers and Wahl plans on returning to Haiti in December.
Filed Under: Industrial automation
