Pamoja is a sustainable scenario regarding Oral Health Education for Kenyan kindergartens developed during my master thesis. ​ The project was conducted on field for 3 months collecting insights and inspiration for the design phase concluded in the Netherlands. ​ The idea includes the ideation of a natural toothpaste together with the design of a school dispenser that allows children to learn, by making, how to prepare the dentifrice by their own. Furthermore, all the ingredients are planted in the school garden so the kindergarten can supply regularly toothpaste to the pupils and children can receive an ecological education by the environment.

1. Graduation presentation
Oral Health Education within Kenyan Vulnerable Communities
Francesco Brutto

2. Introduction
Ideation
Content

3. Introduction
Ideation
Content

4. Problem definition
A lack of education
and several oral
20%
disorders affect
of the population
everyday
has access to
people’s health:
Dental Care services
• Dental Caries
Less than a dentist • Periodontal diseases
practitioner every • Acute gingivitis
10,000 people • Noma
(World Health Organization 2008)
• Hiv/Aids oral
manifestations

5. Initial design goal

6. Context: Mathare slum,Ngong
about 3000
tenants
Occasional and
daily jobs
1 governmental
HOSPITAL
few NGOs support
this settlement

7. CBO: Jukumu Letu
about 130 vulnerable
children from 0 to 7 y.o.
day-care and
kindergarten
tuition fee:
0.10 € per day
Parents involved as
part of the staff

8. Introduction
Ideation
Content

9. First research question

10. Methodologies
Naturalistic Cultural probes
Observation with mothers

11. Interview with a local dentist
CULTURAL HABITS DISEASES CAUSES
Having good oral health Tooth decay and Poor
is mainly intended as periodontal diseases oral hygiene
having white teeth
HIV oral manifestations Diet or
Removing a tooth is
are becoming a malnutrition
definitely seen as the best
growing problem
solution
People brush their teeth only Fluorosis Lack of information
before some special occasions and prevention

12. Products
TOOTHBRUSHES TOOTHPASTE
Easy to find and buy Easy to find and buy The amount of toothpaste in the
in all the markets or small in all the markets or small cheapest products lasts few days
shops of the city shops of the city within the large Kenyan families
Companies like Colgate and
Average price for a 25ml
Average price: 0.30 € Aquafresh have a strong market
tube: 0,40 €
position and distribution
Products are produced by small The most part of the product People look for
companies or come from the contained fluoride (not other alternatives to
production of international companies. recommended for kids) replace the toothpaste

13. Local methods
TABLE SALT TWIGS & MSWAKI CHARCOAL MASAAI MEDICINE
Considered the main Twigs are used according Soda ash and
Natural whitener mainly
alternative to toothpaste to taste or size more than mixtures of barks as
used in rural areas
although its abrasive action natural properties medicine or painkillers

14. Awareness
Testing the level of
knowledge and awareness
about oral health and
related diseases

15. Oral Health cards
Local Methods Health System Hygiene Alcohol Smoking
Each
8 Participants participant Open
picks a card Discussion
Oral Cancer NOMA Hiv / Aids Gingivitis Dental Caries

16. Results: Awareness
RESULTS
Families and schools People are aware of the None of the diseases were
educate children to have risks that may lead to known by name and a futher
a good personal hygiene oral diseases explanation was needed

17. Introduction
Ideation
Content

18. Second research question
Who are the final users and
which is the most suitable
context for the final design?

19. User profile
Cognitive & creative
characteristics
Physical
skills
Socio-emotional
development
Dental
development

20. Drawing session
SCHOOL represents MOTHERS & TEACHERS SCHOOLMATES as
the main context as points of reference favourite playmates
z
z
z
play time Tv time
school time or dinner or
homeworks homeworks
6.30 am 7.30 8.00 4.00 pm 6.30 pm 7 pm 9.30 pm

21. Final context
Discipline
Constancy
Reliability
Education

22. Dental care at school - video
WATCH THIS VIDEO AT THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1-HkOLF41U

23. Dental care at school
ORAL HEALTH TOOTHBRUSHES TOOTHPASTE
Oral Health Education is Toothpaste is the main
Every child has is personal
usually introduced in obstacle for a daily
toothbrush
Kenyan kindergartens oral hygiene
Oral Hygiene is supposed Toothbrushes are kept
in the same container The toothpaste’s tube
to be practiced everyday
without any hygienic cap lasts 2 days
after lunch
Toothbrushes are usually
Teacher is the person in Also in this case, schools
donated or bought
charge of the procedure rely on or wait for donations
every 3/4 months

24. Research conclusions
Oral Health Products Awareness
Users Context

25. Final design goal
Design a product for Kenyan
KINDERGARTEN able to offer a more
PREVENTIVE and HYGIENIC solution
for CHILDREN in a playful and
educative way

26. Introduction
Ideation
Content

27. Design requirements
Achieve the need Users Sustainability
of prevention
Local materials
Fulfil the request Steering a behaviour
and manufacture
of toothpaste through playfulness
Local
More hygiene for Instructions &
maintenance
toothbrushes use of pictures

28. Natural toothpaste
Fulfil the request
of toothpaste
Sustainability
• Fluoride-free
• Healing and
anti-bacterial
properties
• Locally available

29. Ingredients
MUARUBAINI ALOE VERA MINT LEAVES SODA ASH & SALT
• prevent and heal • clean and sooth • they are • helps to get
gum disease teeth and gums germicidal plaque off
• prevent cavities • be anti- • they are breathe • make the teeth
• prevent bacteria inflammatory freshener shine
from adhering to • cures sores and • they inhibite • antibacterial
your teeth and ulcers harmful bacterial action
gums growth

30. Availability and costs
MUARUBAINI ALOE VERA MINT LEAVES SODA ASH & SALT
2 € for a 0,50 € per 0,10 € per Magadi: 1 € per
young plant plant and easy bunch in KG or easy to
to find and supermarkets or collect at Magadi
locally buy from street markets Lake
available and vendors
easy to collect Salt: 0.10 € per
for free Kg

31. Comparison
vs
Fluoride-based Fluoride-free
Industrial Locally available
about 7 € per month about 4 € per month

32. Introduction
Ideation
Content

33. Final design
Water containers
Educative nursery rhyme
Ingredients’ containers
Personal
chopper
Toothbrushes

34. Final design
Water containers
Educative nursery rhyme
Ingredients’ containers
Personal
chopper
Toothbrushes

35. Personal chopper
50 mm
Steering a behaviour
through playfulness
40 mm

36. Final design
Water containers
Educative nursery rhyme
Ingredients’ containers
Personal
chopper
Toothbrushes

37. Toothbrushes
More hygiene for
toothbrushes
Kimani
Wooden tile

38. Ingredients’ containers
Instructions &
use of pictures
Wooden spoons

39. Graphic design
1 2 3
Drawings on School School
blackboard books garden

40. Glasses
Plastic glasses for rinsing
mouth and toothbrush

41. Nursery rhyme
Steering a behaviour
through playfulness

42. Nursery rhyme
Steering a behaviour
through playfulness

43. Interaction
1 2 3
4 5 6

44. Scenario at school
Staff
User & Schoolmates

45. Knowledge transfer
User Family

46. Strategy
Jua Kali Family
cost of the
products
3 y
6 pe es
300 €
14 a
e
+ rd
= 15 € on f
€
0, tuiti
Knowledge
transfer
kumu Letu
28
Ju
Suppliers
education
Users
toothpaste and
products
no more
cost of the Legenda
ingredients financial flow
material flow
information flow
Organic Market

47. Introduction
Ideation
Content

48. Recommendations
1 2 3
Strat F Toothpaste
approach evaluation development

49. Final system evaluation

50. Toothpaste development
Taste

51. Final conclusions
“oneness”
= a state of being unified or whole
under different circumstances