Did you know that even today, more than half of the people on Earth wash their clothes by hand? That’s more than 6 billion people, often women and girls, who sacrifice up to 20 hours a week that could have been spent furthering their education, employment, and wellbeing.
Earlier this year, our team at Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP) helped launch a new collaboration between the Whirlpool Foundation and The Washing Machine Project (TWMP) to address this little-known social issue. Together, they will deliver thousands of manual washing machines worldwide over the next five years, impacting an estimated 150,000 people who rely on washing clothes by hand. In addition to Whirlpool Foundation’s philanthropic donation, the foundation will support TWMP through its distribution channels and with manufacturing, using the expertise of Whirlpool’s engineers.
Nav Sawhney, founder and CEO of The Washing Machine Project, brought this innovation to life. His story is moving: After quitting his job as a Dyson engineer, Nav moved to India to innovate and build affordable cookstoves for families. While living there, Nav met a woman named Divya and learned of the arduous nature of hand-washing clothes and how much time—the equivalent of a part-time job—she devoted to the chore. He promised to create a hand-crank washing machine to lessen the physical burden on her while reclaiming the time she was losing—time that she could have been utilizing to pursue an education or career to support her family's future.
Named the Divya in her honor, Nav’s invention is the world's first flat-packable, electricity-free machine. It reduces wash time by 75% and halves water usage. Click here to watch a video about the initiative.
Nav is not alone in this endeavor. This groundbreaking initiative pairs NGO solutions with aligned corporate giving, employee engagement, and operational resources to create impact at scale. Over the last two years, Nav's team has worked hands-on with the Whirlpool Foundation to refine and manufacture the Divya and architect the entire initiative, from strategy to rollout. The Whirlpool Foundation is standing beside him in this significant collaboration, and we are so proud to be their partner.
When the team touched down in Puducherry, India, last April to help Nav fulfill his promise to Divvya, there wasn't a dry eye among the team. As transformational as this investment and relationship will certainly be for those who will receive the machine and reclaim an estimated collective 17 million hours, it has been equally life-changing for all those involved.
This collaboration is a testament to what can be achieved when compassion meets technology. Together, they're set to revolutionize laundry practices globally, paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future. Learn more about the Divya and what’s next for The Washing Machine Project here.
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