When you use soap, you tend to rinse it off. So part of the effects of Faso Soap would be thrown away," says Franck Langevin, campaigns director for the Ouagadougou-based outfit.
"We decided to combine the latest cosmetic technology with natural repellent ingredients ... we put the natural ingredients into micro-capsules around 100 to 150 micrometers in size, embedded in the soap. These are small enough to stick onto the skin's pores.
"After the soap is rinsed, the capsules remain and gradually break and release the repellent little by little over a six to eight hour period."
Since then, Faso Soap has been partnering with organizations that have "competencies we don't", such as market-leading soap manufacturers in West Africa, NGOs including
Doctors Without Borders for distribution opportunities, and taking their product through rigorous scientific testing so they can bring it to market.
"Once we have the hard scientific data on the soap and its effectiveness in preventing against malaria, we want to approach national and international entities for subsidies," Langevin says.
While markets such as Asia could be more profitable, the group are keenly focused on providing cheap access to the soap to those in need in Africa.
They have set a goal for Faso Soap to save 100,000 lives by 2018.
The possibilities for Faso Soap don't end with malaria. Other mosquito transmitted diseases -- such as Zika -- could also be prevented by the product.
More research needs to be done in this area.
"Zika is transmitted by the Tiger mosquito, which looks the same but is actually very different. We need to know to what extent we can be effective with essential oils," says Langevin.
"For now, working on malaria is a big enough challenge -- it kills way more
When you use soap, you tend to rinse it off. So part of the effects of Faso Soap would be thrown away," says Franck Langevin, campaigns director for the Ouagadougou-based outfit.
"We decided to combine the latest cosmetic technology with natural repellent ingredients ... we put the natural ingredients into micro-capsules around 100 to 150 micrometers in size, embedded in the soap. These are small enough to stick onto the skin's pores.
"After the soap is rinsed, the capsules remain and gradually break and release the repellent little by little over a six to eight hour period."
The next step
In 2013, Dembélé and Niyondiko became the
first African winners of the Global Social Venture Competition at the University of California Berkeley, winning $25,000.
Since then, Faso Soap has been partnering with organizations that have "competencies we don't", such as market-leading soap manufacturers in West Africa, NGOs including
Doctors Without Borders for distribution opportunities, and taking their product through rigorous scientific testing so they can bring it to market.
"Once we have the hard scientific data on the soap and its effectiveness in preventing against malaria, we want to approach national and international entities for subsidies," Langevin says.
While markets such as Asia could be more profitable, the group are keenly focused on providing cheap access to the soap to those in need in Africa.
They have set a goal for Faso Soap to save 100,000 lives by 2018.
A possible protection against Zika?
The possibilities for Faso Soap don't end with malaria. Other mosquito transmitted diseases -- such as Zika -- could also be prevented by the product.
More research needs to be done in this area.
"Zika is transmitted by the Tiger mosquito, which looks the same but is actually very different. We need to know to what extent we can be effective with essential oils," says Langevin.
"For now, working on malaria is a big enough challenge -- it kills way more people than Zika.
"A child dies from malaria every two When you use soap, you tend to rinse it off. So part of the effects of Faso Soap would be thrown away," says Franck Langevin, campaigns director for the Ouagadougou-based outfit.
"We decided to combine the latest cosmetic technology with natural repellent ingredients ... we put the natural ingredients into micro-capsules around 100 to 150 micrometers in size, embedded in the soap. These are small enough to stick onto the skin's pores.
"After the soap is rinsed, the capsules remain and gradually break and release the repellent little by little over a six to eight hour period."
The next step
In 2013, Dembélé and Niyondiko became the
first African winners of the Global Social Venture Competition at the University of California Berkeley, winning $25,000.
Since then, Faso Soap has been partnering with organizations that have "competencies we don't", such as market-leading soap manufacturers in West Africa, NGOs including
Doctors Without Borders for distribution opportunities, and taking their product through rigorous scientific testing so they can bring it to market.
"Once we have the hard scientific data on the soap and its effectiveness in preventing against malaria, we want to approach national and international entities for subsidies," Langevin says.
While markets such as Asia could be more profitable, the group are keenly focused on providing cheap access to the soap to those in need in Africa.
They have set a goal for Faso Soap to save 100,000 lives by 2018.
A possible protection against Zika?
The possibilities for Faso Soap don't end with malaria. Other mosquito transmitted diseases -- such as Zika -- could also be prevented by the product.
More research needs to be done in this area.
"Zika is transmitted by the Tiger mosquito, which looks the same but is actually very different. We need to know to what extent we can be effective with essential oils," says Langevin.
"For now, working on malaria is a big enough challenge -- it kills way more people than Zika.
"A child dies from malaria every two minutes."." than Zika.
