PuRelief

• Overview
• The Product: PuR
• Strategy
• Partners
• Contact

Overview

At the request of Procter and Gamble (P&G), CCP and the Aquaya Institute in partnership with local organizations are collaborating to address safe water needs for the tsunami affected areas in northern Indonesia and to introduce a sustainable community level distribution and education program for PuR based on those experiences. PuR is a chemical product developed by P&G designed to purify water at the point of use. P&G is funding a one year effort to promote safe water and the correct use of PuR in selected communities in the tsunami affected areas and in areas of Central Java where quality of water leaves much to be desired.

In the first weeks after the tsunami, PuR was distributed to, affected countries, of which 2.2 million packets were donated to the Aceh relief efforts. Due to the overwhelming response to the disaster, an incredible number of organizations have participated in the relief efforts. There have been coordination problems among the many NGOs and relief organizations helping in the area and this has hampered the distribution of relief supplies, among theme PuR. CCP and Aquaya are working with local partners to ensure the proper distribution, education and mobilization for PuR in the communities and IDP camps in Aceh. While this effort is focused on the mid-term relief efforts, the activity will lay the ground work for transforming the fully subsidized PuR product into a more sustainable program using non-traditional distribution and points of sale through local NGOs that have networks for health promotion.  

CCP has partnered with two faith based organizations with strong grass roots programs to effectively promote PuR. Muhammadyiah and Aisiyah (a female centered branch of Muhammadyiah) are well trusted organizations with more than one century of experience in advancing education and healthcare in Indonesia. Muhammadyiah will focus its attention in four districts of Aceh while Aisiyah will start a community based distribution of PuR program in Central Java. The project has been designed in a way that encourages local partners to continue with product distribution after donor support has come to an end.

The Product: PuR

PuR is a purifier of water developed by Procter & Gamble in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  It is considered a technology marvel. It applies the same principles found in large water purifying plants but to be applied at a much smaller scale, at the household level. PuR is currently the only point of use product that eliminates both pathogens and harmful dirt and particles from water. PuR comes in sachets containing 4 g of powder, good enough to purify 10 litters of water in an affordable fashion. When used correctly and consistently PuR can reach up to 64% reduction in diarrhea, as it has been found in a study performed over 12,000 people in an urban setting in Pakistan.

The CCP strategy for PuR promotion

Due to the nature of the product, the communication strategy will implement an in-depth approach to assure that those who adopt the product will both understand the benefits of the product and how to use it well. Sustained behavior is the key to product success and to positive health outcomes. Communication about PuR will be provided by trusted sources in an environment conducive to try the product and eventually to repeat use. PuR will be actively promoted with the support of the following traditionally trusted sources of information:

• Health providers to inform parents who bring their kids to a health facility during a diarrhea episode about water treatment and use of PuR.
• Health providers to inform mothers weaning their babies about water treatment and use of PuR.
• Health providers to inform pregnant women during control visits about water related diseases and the importance to treat water with PuR.

Partners

• The Aquaya Institute
• Muhammadyiah
• Aisiyah
• Yayasan Dian Desa
• Ikatan Bidan Indonesia (IBI)

Contact

Juan Carlos Negrette
Senior Program Officer
CCP
jnegrett@jhuccp.org
410-659-6300