The Washing Machine Project

💡 Laundry shouldn’t be a barrier to better health or rest. In November 2024, we travelled to distribute and train users in Salem, South India, introducing the community to the Divya Washing Machine. Here's Laura Tuck taking us through how The Washing Machine Project and our incredible partners on the ground, Association KYNAROU and Preethi Shivakumar are training women in the community on the basics of assembly and maintenance - so should there be any issues the problem can be solved locally. Through our user needs assessment, we heard stories of the time burden, the reliance on piped water, and the desire for a better, more efficient solution. Women spoke about the challenge of balancing household responsibilities with income-generating activities. Laundry shouldn’t be an obstacle to that. Seeing the immediate impact was incredibly powerful. For many, this wasn’t just about washing clothes - it was about freeing up time for work, rest, and family. #TheWashingMachineProject #Kynarou #Impact #InnovationForGood #SustainableDevelopment #laundry Atti Muriricho

We started a very exciting project this week 👀 Can't wait to share more soon! Nkem Ifejika Alex Strangwayes-Booth Navjot Sawhney #thewashingmachineproject #storytelling #documentary #podcast

With the recent cuts to humanitarian aid, both at home and abroad, we’re reminded of our trip to AidEx - The Global Humanitarian Aid Community in Geneva last year. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with so many organisations dedicated to innovating products and services that support some of the most vulnerable communities worldwide. But as funding tightens, the need for innovation and collaboration becomes even more critical. That's exactly what we're doing at The Washing Machine Project. Now more than ever, we must find new ways to support humanitarian efforts - whether through partnerships, awareness, or alternative funding solutions. If you were at AidEx or working in this space, we’d love to hear how you're navigating these challenges. #HumanitarianAid #Innovation #AidEx #Collaboration #TheWashingMachineProject

🔄 Back to the drawing board. In 2022, Laura Tuck and Navjot Sawhney had a pivotal experience delivering large washing machines to a remote island in Uganda. It was a wake-up call. Transporting bulky machines to these areas was one challenge, but what about the sustainability and repairability of the machine? The machines were mainly plastic, lots of components and included complex parts. Repairs would require specialised equipment that simply doesn’t exist in remote or underserved communities. That’s why we went back to first principles. The Divya Washing Machine keeps the core mechanics of a traditional washing machine but reimagined everything else - simplicity, portability, accessibility. It’s flat-packable and designed as a kit of parts, easily assembled or repaired with basic tools like spanners and Allen keys. No complex machinery needed. No specialised skills. Just a practical solution, designed for the real-world environments where it’s needed most. Redesigning with context in mind isn’t just important—it’s essential. #laundry #innovation #washingmachine #socialimpact

We attended the AidEx - The Global Humanitarian Aid Community and Humanitarian Finance Forum Summit last week! 🙌 It was an incredible opportunity for Navjot Sawhney to hear Paul Collier speak about his "blue zone" concept which is a game-changer: using risk capital to unlock private investment, create jobs, and drive stability. The truth? Humanitarian finance is struggling. Traditional aid won’t cut it. The private sector must step up & embrace risk, and invest with the mindset of a venture capitalist for resilience and stability. #HumanitarianFinance #ImpactInvestment #PrivateSectorGrowth

We're helping save lives at the District Referral Hospital in Gamboma, Republic of Congo 🏥💙 Right now, their hospitals rely on handwashing to clean medical gowns and bedding—a critical yet time heavy task. We are changing that. Together with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency on the ground we’ve trained hospital staff to use and maintain 2 Divya washing machines - improving surgical capacity, hygiene, and patient care. This wouldn’t be possible without the Whirlpool Corporation Foundation, whose support has helped us deliver 100 machines across the Republic of Congo — creating real impact where it’s needed most 🌍🧺 #HealthcareInnovation #HumanitarianAid #UNHCR #InnovationForGood

Our colleagues in RS DACH recently came together as #OneTeam to help build Divya washing machines for The Washing Machine Project. A day filled with teamwork, purpose, and the joy of creating something meaningful together. ❤️ #WeAreRS #MakingAmazingHappen #ForABetterWorld #RSDACH #TWMP #OneTeam

It's all about spreading the love today💙 For the past few weeks, our whole TWMP team went all in to ensure our New JLR Partnership launch was as best as it could be - and what a launch it was! None of this would have been possible without the passion and hard work of our team and our wider network putting in so much time, effort and dedication in planning and bring this collaboration to life💡✨ So here’s a huge shoutout to an incredible team for putting in a BIG shift✨📣👏 Swipe for some behind the scenes! 📸 Flora Edmiston Hugo Morisetti Laura Tuck Rabia Zakria Sean Devane Hélène Verhaeghe Vicky Whiting Jack Biltcliffe David Poole Navjot Sawhney Molly Harris Atti Muriricho #InnovationForGood #DreamTeam

🚀 How Innovation and Compassion Can Change Lives In this episode, we sit down with Navjot Sawhney, humanitarian engineer and founder of The Washing Machine Project, to explore how simple yet powerful innovations can make a lasting impact. Inspired by his neighbor Divya in South India—who spent up to 20 hours a week handwashing clothes—Navjot designed a manual washing machine to ease this burden for communities in need. From engineering solutions to tackling global inequality, Navjot shares his journey of turning empathy into action—and why even the smallest inventions can create meaningful change. 🎧 Listen now to discover how The Washing Machine Project is transforming lives worldwide. Link in About section.

Today, we're proud to announce that TWMP is now a 1% for the Planet Environmental Partner! This makes us eligible to receive donations from '1% for the Planet members' on behalf of their annual 1% commitment🌍 We'll be driving impact through this global movement alongside many incredible organisations committed to making positive change in the world!💙 #1PercentForThePlanet #Sustainability