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Tanggulun Timur,Indonesia. They say the best ideas are simple ones and that’s what UNICEF Indonesia is hoping its new bird flu kit will turn out to be.  A simple idea that helps spread the message about how each and every community can take simple precautions to reduce the risk of contracting the deadly virus.

Indonesia now ranks number one in the world for bird flu cases. Some 100 people have contracted the virus and most of them died. Children are particularly vulnerable accounting for some 40% of all cases.

This is what prompted UNICEF to develop a simple kit that includes all the basic ingredients to prevent bird flu form spreading. This includes a mask, gloves, soap, educational materials and a video about bird flu prevention. This, plus a giant banner that each village can put up to remind people to be careful.

With funding from Japan, UNICEF has produced 100,000 of these kits in cooperation with the Indonesian government. They are being distributed across 6 high risk provinces. In the villages, local leaders are calling community meetings to discuss bird flu in their area, and using the kit to demonstrate simple steps that everyone can do to stay safe .

The program was launched in Tanngulun Timur village in West Java, one of the worst hit provinces in the country. The chief executive of the National Avian Influenza Committee was on hand with local officials and a celebrity or two to throw their support behind the campaign.

"Public awareness is key to ensuring the bird flu campaign is a success and the bird flu kits are a useful tool to achieve this", said Chief Executive Bayu Krisnamurthi. “People need to realize that each and every one of us must take action in order to prevent outbreaks and that is especially true in rural communities like this one where the risk is higher”, he adds.

The kits ended up sparking a lively discussion. "What should I do if my chickens suddenly die?" asked one woman. "How do I make sure my children are protected, asked another. The answers were clear. Report to your local authorities and don’t touch birds unless you follow strict safety guidelines and don’t allow children to handle chickens.

The kits are just one of the many community activities that UNICEF has been involved in in the past year.  A national campaign was launched last September and this year the UN Children’s Fund, with support from Canada and Japan, is planning more activities from national to community level.

How successful will the bird flu kits be? Only time will tell, but local officials in Tanggulun Timor were inspired to build a simple but effective public hand washing facility right in the middle of the village.

And just a day later, a popular international coffee chain inquired about the kits so their staff and customers can learn more about bird flu prevention.  So maybe good things really do come from simple ideas.