Hygiene
Water dispensers for handwashing
In former Soviet Union- and their satellite states, many citizens had and have water dispensers in their so-called ‘Dachas’ (Russian: дачи). Dachas are typically simple, free-standing houses, either located in city suburbs or in the countryside. And most of them…
Himba smoke shower
The Himba women continue to practice traditional methods of personal hygiene. This includes using a smoke shower and a mixture of red ochre and butter fat paste. These indigenous people are properly referred to as the ‘OvaHimba’ when plural and…
Safari toilet at Timbavati tented bush camp
A safari toilet is an essential facility for any temporary tented camp in the wild. For a Trails Guide course at Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa, we had for eight students, two mentors and one cook a total…
Chewing sticks for dental care in Southern Africa
Chewing sticks, or toothbrush sticks, were widely used in former times from Ethiopia down to the southern tip of Africa. Nowadays, plastic toothbrushes are commonly used and only in very rural parts of this area, chewing sticks are still commonplace….