It promises to have great impact in the aid and development sector, and is all set to improve beneficiary lives.

The product presentation first took place at Oxfam’s exhibition stand on 16 November, followed by a repeat launch at NRS Relief’s stand on 17 November. Both presentations were well-received and generated significant interest from the audience.

Justin Hartree, Equipment Quality Officer at Oxfam Supply Centre, presented the driving forces that inspired the new design. He also showed how the Jerry Bucket’s upgraded features dramatically reduce drinking water contamination.

Both presentations generated great response and drew vast interest from the audience.

The need for safe water container

When arriving in a camp, collecting water is one of the first priorities for refugees. Yet they often have no possessions, and use dirty containers to collect the clean water that Oxfam has provided. The benefits of clean water are then lost. So the rapid distribution of water containers is crucial. This is why Oxfam developed and enhanced the water container design.

The solution

In response to feedback from field workers and beneficiaries, Oxfam has upgraded the existing 14-litre bucket by incorporating three key design considerations based on cleanliness:

• The new tightly-fitted HDPE lid stays on the bucket body through an improved rimlock design, ensuring that the container is only used for drinking water rather than washing clothes, feeding livestock, etc.
• A clip-on cap that hygienically seals the bucket is attached to the lid, so that people do not need to improvise caps if the original is lost. The large 100 mm hole minimizes spillage when filling from a hand pump, and allows easy cleaning.
• The tap means water can be safely distributed without putting dirty receptacles into the water.

The Jerry Bucket retains all the other benefits of the original design:

• Stackability: The Jerry Bucket’s stackable feature allows easy distribution in large numbers, which significantly reduces freight costs.
• Durability: Many collapsible water containers have a short life span in arduous refugee camp conditions, but the Jerry Bucket will last many years. When unloaded in the field, lids should be snapped on before distribution and beneficiaries should be encouraged not to remove them. The buckets are designed for first phase emergency situations but are ideal for any water-carrying operation.

Through the years, NRS Relief has strived to pioneer products that meet the needs of the end-user and the entire humanitarian community. All its products result from an extensive product innovation process, often under the guidelines of international agencies, bilateral donors, governments and non-governmental organisations. This leads to better products, greater client and beneficiary satisfaction and technological breakthroughs with real social impact.

To know more about the Jerry Bucket innovation, watch this.