PR89165

KANAGAWA and TOKYO, May 17, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM), a global omni-channel solutions partner for

industrial customers and suppliers, and trading as RS Components

[https://jp.rs-online.com/web/] in Asia Pacific, has chosen The Washing Machine

Project Foundation as its first global charity partner [

https://publitekltd.sharepoint.com/:v:/s/PublitekFTP/EQq5qq79qr1Ik9BeJm-VNK0BLyOhP26G3dUQIuLtUCwYVw?e=N1gPBM

], 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.

SOURCE RS Components