Navjot Sawhney
- Founder, The Washing Machine Project
Navjot Sawhney is the founder of The Washing Machine Project. Navjot was born and brought up in London to parents from unpartitioned India. During the 1947 Indian Independence, Nav's father and his family fled their home from what is now Pakistan with only the clothes on their backs. This was the foundation of his desire to help others, fostering an interest in International Development. Nav's father passed away when he was 8 years old and was raised by his mother and two sisters which is what formed his particular interest in issues affecting women and girls and those fleeing conflict.
Nav studied Aerospace Engineering at Queen Mary University in London. After working as an engineer for Dyson, Nav moved to South India to make cookstoves with Engineers Without Borders UK. It was here he met his neighbour Divya. Divya's struggle with everyday tasks, including hand washing clothes for up to 20 hrs a week, inspired Nav to find a solution. He promised her a washing machine, and he developed the first prototype when he returned home. This prototype would inspire Nav to start The Washing Machine Project in 2019, and call the machine, Divya. With an interest and now a promise, in 2019, Nav enrolled into a masters programme at University of Bath to study Humanitarianism, Conflict and Development.
Since then, The Washing Machine Project has conducted ethnographic research in 13 countries and interviewed more than 3,000 families in Uganda, Kenya, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Cameroon, Jamaica, Nepal, India and the Philippines to gain insight into their clothes washing tendencies.
As well as successful pilots, The Washing Machine Project has now distributed Divya washing machines to families and communities in India, Iraq, Lebanon, United States, Mexico and Uganda - impacting almost 30,000 people. Implementation is tailored to meet the partnering regions' specific cultural, economic, and environmental conditions, ensuring the solution is effective and relevant in local contexts.
Having partnered with organisations like RS Group, JLR, Santander and Meanwell, as well as international development and humanitarian organisations such as UNHCR, Save The Children, Oxfam, Care International and Plan International - The Washing Machine Project’s plans are now to scale up across numerous countries, with support from the foundation arm of leading appliance manufacturer, Whirlpool.
In March 2024, Nav returned to South India with Whirlpool Foundation to deliver machines to Divya, along with 10 neighbours and fulfil his promise.
So far, The Washing Machine Project has been recognised for its work by receiving numerous awards within the engineering and humanitarian space, including the George H.W Bush Points of Light Award in 2023.
The Washing Machine Project, creating and innovating sustainable products and solutions that help remote and displaced people all around the world.
Alleviating the burden of handwashing clothes. One wash at a time.
