Bario is known to have a history of malaria outbreak. Although throughout the years there is a decline of recorded malaria cases, the Kelabit community is stilll very exposed to contracting this disease. Malaria is caused by mosquito bites which are infected and may cause fatalities.
The Kelabit community is known for its beadwork accessories, and they represent the identity and status of the Kelabits. By using the cultural elements of the Kelabit beads, my team then proposed a mosquito repellent bead, the Kelabead.
The objective of Kelabead is to bring a reduction in the cases of Malaria and to protect the community from mosquito bites. Kelabead will also be a source of income for the Kelabit tribe and a chance to boost Bario tourism.
Repellent elements are inserted into the Kelabit beads and will be distributed to the community of the Kelabit tribe. Kelabead will protect the wearer by masking the scent of carbon dioxide from exhaled breath, making the wearer “invisible” to the mosquito. The repellent properties will last for 3 months.
#BeadIt encourages the audience to take photos with their Kelabead products and prints out the Instagram photos with the hashtag as a momento.
Homepage of Kelabead website
Product page
Customizeable bead: Users can generate to mix and match different types of Kelabeads to create a customized bracelet.
