Electrocomponents partners with The Washing Machine Project to improve the lives of 100,000 people worldwide

SYDNEY, May 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM), a global omni-channel solutions partner for industrial customers and suppliers, and trading as RS Components in Australia ^[1] and New Zealand ^[2], has chosen The Washing Machine Project Foundation as its first global charity partner ^[3], pledging to support the project for three years. Support will extend to encouraging the Group's employees, customers and suppliers to contribute through fundraising and volunteering activities.

The Washing Machine Project was set up in 2018 by British engineer Nav Sawhney. He discovered that 70% of the world's population do not have access to an electric washing machine and for many washing clothes in rivers, lakes and buckets is the only solution. Handwashing clothes is recognised as being a major barrier to education for low-income and displaced people around the world.

This experience led Nav to develop a prototype for an affordable off-grid manual crank washing machine, the Divya. It is the only machine of its kind to be developed for humanitarian purposes and requires no electricity to operate. It uses a flywheel mechanism with drum-in-drum technology and combines washing and spin-dry functionality. Designed to be made from reusable off-the-shelf components and easily maintainable, it can be operated and fixed anywhere, by anyone. Using the Divya reduces the time spent handwashing clothes by 75% and requires 50% less water. It can handle loads up to 5 kg, despite weighing just 12 kg.

Following trials last year, 50 Divyas are now in use in the Jeddah 5 refugee camp in Mosul, Federal Iraq. By 2023, the plan is to have at least 7,500 machines available to disadvantaged communities in 10 countries, providing relief to around 100,000 people.

The three-year partnership with Electrocomponents will enable the charity to alleviate the burden of washing clothes for thousands of hard-hit families and communities. With an innovative engineering solution at its heart, the mission of The Washing Machine Project resonated with Electrocomponents' own.

"Electrocomponents' support will provide critical funding and components to develop our future machine and build the capacity of our organisation so that we can reach many more people in need," commented Nav Sawhney, Founder, The Washing Machine Project.

Support The Washing Machine Project by making a donation at https://electrocomponents.blackbaud-sites.com ^[4].