Whirlpool Foundation and The Washing Machine Project Celebrate Impactful First Year of Collaboration to Address the Global Washing Divide
More Than 11,000 Lives Transformed Through the Donation of Manual Washing Machines in Low-Income and Displaced Communities
In March 2024, Whirlpool Foundation President Pam Klyn traveled from Benton Harbor, Mich. to Puducherry, India with a small Whirlpool Corporation team. They were there to take an important step in addressing the challenge that 60 percent of the world faces – washing clothes by hand, largely due to unreliable access to electricity and water. This was an issue Whirlpool Corp. had worked to address in the past but ran into challenges distributing manual washing machines in remote locations.
The group from Whirlpool Corp. were guests of Navjot Sawhney, founder and CEO of The Washing Machine Project. The two organizations came together in 2023 after discovering they had a shared mission. Sawhney, an engineer, had developed a manual washing machine to help lessen the burden of hand washing clothes, a burden that falls primarily on women and girls. The Washing Machine Project was there to distribute manual washing machines, the first in this area, and this moment would prove pivotal for the Puducherry community, where Whirlpool Corp. has operations, and for both organizations.
Whirlpool began supporting The Washing Machine Project to help address the global washing divide after realizing the potential impact of their combined resources, talents and efforts. The Washing Machine Project needed support in manufacturing manual washing machines at scale, and Whirlpool, which had previously developed its own manual washing machine, needed distribution support. Together, they could scale and reach populations who could greatly benefit from these time-saving machines.
“By teaming up with Whirlpool, we are able to have a much bigger impact. We are so grateful for their support. Together, we are committed to bridging the global washing divide and paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future for women and girls around the world.”
“By teaming up with Whirlpool, we are able to have a much bigger impact,” said Sawhney. “We are so grateful for their support. Together, we are committed to bridging the global washing divide and paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future for women and girls around the world.”
In the past year, 340 Whirlpool Corporation employee volunteers donated nearly 4,000 hours to build 645 manual washing machines using a manual assembly line thoughtfully developed by company volunteers. Whirlpool Corp. employees also participated in “Washout” events, where they were able to experience how grueling it can be to hand wash clothes, helping them build empathy with the majority of the global population who have no alternative but to do their laundry by hand. The Washing Machine Project and Whirlpool Foundation have distributed these machines to communities in India, Mexico, the Republic of Congo and Ghana - impacting over 11,000 lives and counting.
“Our employees have been fully engaged and generous with their time to help build manual washing machines because they understand the profound impact this innovation can have to help women and girls worldwide reclaim time and improve their lives,” said Klyn. “We have had an overwhelming response, and our employees are anxious to continue supporting this work with The Washing Machine Project.”
One such success story has been the Pottery Collective in Chiapas, Mexico. The Pottery Collective is made up of five households – around 20 people – who share a manual washing machine in their communal yard. Having a manual washing machine has freed up time for income-generating activities, allowing co-op members to focus on their pottery work and other tasks that enhance their livelihoods. This is one of many examples illustrating how this collaboration is helping women reclaim their time and improve their lives.
In April 2025, the collaboration between Whirlpool and The Washing Machine Project was recognized with a Gold Halo Award for Best Employee Engagement Initiative by Engage for Good. Whirlpool Corporation and The Washing Machine Project are also finalists for a National Manufacturing Leadership Award in the Collaborative Ecosystems category.
