Washing Machine to Help Educate Cambodian Women and Children

Washing Machine to Help Educate Women and Children of Cambodia

A team of engineers from the University of Queensland are currently designing a time-saving washing machine for the women and children of Kandal Province, Cambodia, in the hope that it will allow them time to access available educational programs.

Team members Thomas O'Donovan, Richard Chipman, Quentin Large and Dale Findlay, have come up with two concepts, one involving a pedal powered horizontal rotating drum, and the other utilizes a hand powered vertical agitating drum.

Research shows that Cambodian women tend to cut their education short as they are often required at home to help care for younger siblings and do household chores.

Dale Findlay, along side his colleagues, believes the machine will cut down the current 8-hour washing process in order to allow women more time to take care of their families, work or attend school.

"We plan to begin with a design, take it to Engineers Without Borders for their approval then, hopefully, we will be able to get a trial prototype to RDIC [Resource Development International -- Cambodia]. They will be able to market the product throughout the Kandal province, showing it to the people, making sure they know how it works and that it's a good product. From there, we can begin a full-scale implementation."

The engineering team has taken into consideration the communities natural resources, income, education, training and cultural heritage in an effort to ensure the product is accepted.

There are also future plans to investigate a possible clothes drying process.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• mechanics