Investing.com
Published Apr 15, 2024 12:18
Global collaboration will help unlock millions of hours for women and girls to improve quality of life, saving time for learning and income-generating activities
In its first five years, the collaboration will help unlock approximately 17 million2 hours for women and girls to improve quality of life and halve overall water usage, bringing efficient and sustainable washing solutions where they are needed most. According to the World Health Organization, 70% of households worldwide depend on women and girls for water collection and laundry, which is amplified by the estimate that up to 20 hours each week are spent hand washing clothes in underserved communities globally3. The collaboration will help save time and create opportunities for learning, income-generating activities and more time with family.
"We are honored to partner with the Whirlpool Foundation, whose legacy as a pioneer in home appliance innovation is only superseded by their passion to foster community development and improve life at home for people around the world," said
The collaboration is funded through the Whirlpool Foundation, with employee volunteers helping The Washing Machine Project refine the design and assemble the Divya Washing Machine, and The Washing Machine Project managing the distribution of the devices.
Divya Washing Machine Impact
At the initiative's core is the Divya Washing Machine, the world's first flat packable manual washing machine that allows users to wash their clothes without electricity or a connected water source. Its simple design reduces the need for prolonged physical effort usually required to hand wash clothes, replaced instead with a simple manual machine that can be used frequently and safely, saving the user up to 76% of the time compared to hand washing clothes3.
As a portable unit, built with commercial-grade components and stainless-steel construction, the machine is easier to be fixed remotely and has the potential to be recycled at the end of its life.
Divya, the namesake of the machine, is named after
"We greatly admire the mission and work of The Washing Machine Project and see an opportunity to help impact more lives collectively than either of us could individually," said
In the first five years of its collaboration with Whirlpool Foundation, distribution is planned for underserved populations in rural and urban areas in
Since The Washing Machine Project was founded in 2019, the organization has conducted ethnographic research in 13 countries and interviewed more than 3,000 families in
About Whirlpool Foundation
Since 1952, the Whirlpool Foundation has been making real, positive differences in local communities where Whirlpool Corporation families live and work. This is accomplished through two central pillars: House + Home. "House" supports a decent and affordable place to live and plan for the future, and "Home" focuses on creating thriving, resilient communities with the essential services, quality education, and job training needed to help people dream bigger and do better. The Foundation has an absolute commitment to equality and fairness and takes an innovative approach to social investing that prioritizes impact with measurable results.
About The Washing Machine Project
The Washing Machine Project is a grassroots social enterprise based in the
Citations and Supporting Global Laundry Facts:
Written By: Investing.com
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