Tidiane Ball, Founder of DoniFab – Mali

Solutions-driven Tidiane Ball, who holds a doctorate in medicine, specializing in medical informatics, is the founder of DoniFab.

DoniFab is a manufacturing laboratory based in Bamako, which acts as a  cradle for learning and experimenting with new technologies. It is also a space equipped with robotics and digital tools, which allow and enable young people to follow their design and technology dreams.

WHAT INSPIRED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PRODUCT?
Coronavirus is very contagious, has a brutal impact on all healthcare systems, and represents an unprecedented danger to our economies. Mali has not been spared. The pandemic joins the long list of challenges we need to overcome in our already vulnerable country. It is urgent to take action and find accessible local solutions to limit the spread of this virus.

WHAT HAS BEEN ITS IMPACT?
DoniFab teams have been working tirelessly to find local solutions, and fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why we have come up with our Smart hand-washing station. With traditional hand-washing stations, there is a high risk of infection because many people touch the taps, and that way, it is easy to spread the virus. So we have designed these stations, which are also environ- mentally friendly because we use solar power.

The design is a 3-in-1 basin, which in auto sequence, dispenses soap, water and blows out hot air to dry the hands. The automated gadget not only reduces cross-contamination it also saves on water, soap and paper.

In a pandemic such as COVID-19, this device becomes handy as it can easily be adapted for use in homes, schools, markets, mosques, and offices. The station can also be resized to adapt to the frequency of use.

By UNDP Africa Innovates: 50 Homegrown African Innovations Tackling COVID-19