Divya: A energy-efficient and low-cost manual washing machine that provides low-income people with an alternative to hand-washing clothes.

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The Washing Machine Project is an organisation dedicated to transforming lives via engineering solutions. Globally, women spend up to 20-hours/week hand washing clothes, causing strain on water resources and their physical and mental health \[GlobalWASH-2022\]. In the UK, 1 in 20 people do not have washing machines. Instead they rely on expensive and increasingly rare laundrettes. With inflation at a staggering 9.4%, more and more people living under the poverty line are unable to afford basic amenities such as washing machines, or access to them. The Washing Machine Project has developed Divya, a portable, hand-powered, low-water washing machine for displaced and low-income families across the globe, that:* Uses **50% less water** per kg than hand washing* Takes **75% less time** to wash clothes than hand washing* Washes **5kg in one load*** Is **low cost** at 26% of its closest competitor* Operates off-grid, requiring **100% less energy** than traditional washing machines.Our innovation will deliver real benefits in supporting low-income communities to access clean clothes, whilst tangibly reducing the environmental impact of laundry. By 2024, TWMP will have positively impacted 100,000 people globally, saved 3.1M litres of water and given back women in deprived areas 750,000 hours of time annually. In the UK, we will impact 20,000 individuals annually, improving the quality of life by supporting access to clean clothing, simultaneously delivering an environmentally friendly solution. This project will support the ongoing development of Divya, to make it lightweight and lower the cost to produce, directly translating to cost-savings for consumers. We will continue to build relationships with UK councils and charities to access communities living below the poverty line in order to target those who need Divya most.