Prices for diapers, which are considered necessities for families with babies and children, have increased by 25 per cent to 30 per cent in rural areas. This is a great challenge for the B40 families. It can be very stressful for mothers to not have an adequate supply of diapers for their babies. With this issue on the rise, TANOTI has stepped up to lend a helping hand.
Providing diapers to families in need
SOME people may be unaware that diaper prices have increased as the cost of diaper materials continues to rise due to higher shipping costs and supply chain disruptions.
When we were approached to highlight a caring project of donating cloth diapers to poor families in Sarawak with infants and toddlers who are not yet toilet trained, we discovered that it is more than just a matter of cost.
Lacking an adequate supply of diapers for their babies can be very stressful for mothers, who are more likely than other low-income mothers to suffer from anxiety and maternal depression.
Furthermore, a wet, soiled baby is a very unhappy baby, and a diaper rash makes things even worse.
When Jacqueline Fong, the director of TANOTI, proposed making a cloth diaper in 2021, we wondered if her plan to help low-income families in need would be implemented.
As of this year, the TANOTI cloth diaper has been developed, and through Fong, we are learning about the diaper-making process and the assistance provided to her company to produce the diapers.
“TANOTI’s work involves frequent engagement with Sarawak’s rural and remote populations. Two notable injustices were discovered during the course of its work.
“First, there is the rising cost of living. Naturally, goods in rural provisions stores are much more expensive because vendors factor in the cost of logistics in moving stock to their points of sale. While certain food products have government-imposed retail price ceilings, other items such as diapers, which are considered necessities for households with babies, have seen price increases of 25-30 per cent in rural areas.
“Second, many rural communities lack access to a structured waste management programme. Much of their household waste is either burned, dumped in a makeshift landfill behind their homes, or dumped into rivers. Disposable diapers, which have short turnaround times, are frequently found among these wastes,” she said.
The project
The proposed Cloth Diaper Project was pitched to Yayasan Hasanah under its Hasanah Special Grants allocation, and it was approved in the first quarter of 2022.
Yayasan Hasanah is supporting TANOTI’s project “Crowd-sewing of Reusable Diapers for Distribution to Beneficiaries Throughout Sarawak” because it affects various segments of society, including the B40 group, while also protecting our environment.
This project provides additional income to B40 sewists who sew the reusable diapers, as well as access to reusable diapers for families with babies in Sarawak’s rural areas who would otherwise be unable to afford them. More importantly, this project will help to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated by single-use diapers that is discarded into the environment.
According to Fong, they conducted research before developing the cloth diaper, which must be safe, efficient, and effective, as well as include an easy-to-use system.
They started a phase of prototyping and experimenting with various techniques and materials. The prototype diapers were distributed to 30 recipients for feedback before being refined to ensure effective use. Cloth diaper samples were submitted to SIRIM for testing, and the product has now been certified as skin safe by SIRIM. This means that the in-vitro skin irritation test was successful.
Two project phases
The first phase aims to produce and distribute 5,000 packs of cloth diapers. Each pack includes a diaper bag, eight cotton liners, eight cloth diapers, and a waste bag, all of which are washable and reusable.
Their target recipients range in age from newborn to two years old and come in two sizes. S is for babies up to a year old, and L is for children aged 1-2 years.
Rotary Club Kuching Central is helping with the distribution of 3,000 packs to public clinics and health facilities throughout the state.
Fong said that TANOTI’s own batch of 2,000 diaper packs is reaching out to rural and remote villages. So far, diaper packs have been distributed to villages in Ulu Baram, Ulu Tutoh, Belaga, Mukah, Lubok Antu, Serian, Asajaya, Sungai Apong (Kuching), and the Lundu/Sematan areas.
“We still have about 800-900 diaper packs to distribute. We want to help those in need and would appreciate any advice or pointers on where we could donate cloth diapers,” said Fong.
The project’s second phase involves the proposed commercialisation of cloth diapers through their sewists, who are encouraged to start small businesses and create such cloth diapers to sell locally at clinics, provision stores, pharmacies, and other establishments.
Fong said that they hope to see cloth diapers become widely available locally so that potential users can buy them whenever they want.
They are anticipating the implementation of Phase Two in February or March this year and the widespread adoption of cloth diapers as well as the beginning of a sustainable way of life for all Sarawakians.
