Published: March 21, 2011, 12:00 am
Change doesn’t come easy; just ask Ibu Lubis, an Air RahMat retailer in Deli Sedang, North Sumatra.
Ibu Lubis has been selling Air RahMat, a water purifier, in her warung for three months. Ibu Lubis believes that the best way to sell a new product is to use it, so she now treats her water with Air RahMat. However, when her husband noticed that she had stopped boiling their water, he became alarmed and questioned her.
Air RahMat advertisement at the shop operated by Ibu Lubis.
Ibu Lubis explained that she no longer needed to boil water because she is using Air RahMat. She explained that Air RahMat treats the water chemically, and that it was an economical choice as the cost of Air RahMat is far less than the money she was spending on refill water every month.
Ibu Lubis’ husband was not convinced about the safety of the product. Ibu Lubis defended her choice, explaining that products like Air RahMat are tested to ensure safety. She showed him the DepKes registration number and the Halal certification proving it safe. Nevertheless, he remained unconvinced.
It was only a few days later, after viewing an Air RahMat TV commercial, that Ibu Lubis’ husband was finally convinced. He praised his wife, saying, “You women find the easy and practical way to do things.” He is now one of a growing number of people in Indonesia who have switched their method for getting drinking water.
Ibu Lubis in one of the many retailers selling Air RahMat. Air RahMat was launched in Indonesia in 2005 under the auspices of the Aman Tirta, Safe Water Systems (SWS) Project. The goal of this five-year USAID-funded project was to bring the private and public sectors together to increase access to safe water in Indonesia. Aman Tirta was led by CCP, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, CARE International Indonesia, PT Tanshia Consumer Products and Ultra Salur. Aman Tirta is being implemented through a commercial model and production of Air RahMat not subsidized. Currently Air RahMat is available in six provinces across Indonesia and will be available in more as the program scales up.
Listen to the Air RahMat radio jingles [1].
Read the Air RahMat Frequently Asked Questions factsheet [1].
Learn more about the Aman Tirta, Safe Water Systems project [1].
