UNICEF Launches ‘Tippy Tap’ Challenge

1. How to Build a Tippy Tap

2. UNICEF South Africa is mobilising young people to engage directly in the COVID-19 response by making Tippy Taps in areas where there is limited access to running water and soap for handwashing. The challenge is for young people to construct a ‘Tippy Tap’, a simple handwashing facility that uses very little water and is easy to make using a plastic bottle, string, sticks and soap. For every Tippy Tap built, young people will be able to earn digital rewards which can be redeemed for food and airtime vouchers through UNICEF’s partnership with the award-winning Zlto platform.

3. Did You Know: An estimated 2 million households in South Africa do not have a handwashing facility Recent UNICEF surveys have shown that: Only 3% rural and 28% of urban key informants reported that everyone has enough water for handwashing, 45% experienced water cuts in the last week Only 3% rural and 18% urban key informants reported that most people have access to functioning handwashing facilities Only 36% of youth said they had washed their hands more than five times the day before

4. The challenge is in line with UNICEF’s broader water and sanitation response to COVID-19 that supports the National Department of Health’s ongoing efforts to improve hand hygiene and slow the spread of COVID-19. UNICEF calls on and extends its support to national, provincial and local authorities, as well as COVID-command centres, to maintain and expand access to communal water supplies so that Tippy Taps can be kept full – and broader access to water and sanitation is expanded and sustained in the longer term. Watch a tippy tap video

5. Read more about UNICEF South Africa partnership donations and how you can make an online donation.