What is a “tippy tap”? Well, as you can see in this video, it’s an ingenious device that Oxfam use all over the world to promote hand-washing and good health and hygiene.

It’s a simple construction of three sticks holding up a jerry can. A piece of string and a fourth stick make a foot pedal, “tipping” the jerry can and producing a flow of clean, uncontaminated water.

Add in a bar of soap in an onion bag, and you have a simple but incredibly effective hand-washing station.

Hand-washing with soap has been proven to reduce disease in a community by up to 50%. The “tippy tap” is a key tool in our fight against waterborne diseases and the devastating effect it has on people living in poverty.