Iraq
Iraq Research Findings
Primary research has been carried out by ‘The Washing Machine Project’ in conjunction with our partners Concern International. 10 families within Kabarto 1 and 2 camps were surveyed to gain insight into their washing tendencies. All of the primary washers within the families were Female, they had an average age of 34, and on average had been washing clothes for 15 years. They all started washing clothes by the age of 20.
The following shows our insight into their current habits with the aim of impacting our design & testing regimes & also investigating the benefits of the Divya Washing Machine.
Iraq Follow-Up Report
The follow-up report on the manual washing machine (WM) prototype in Iraq revealed significant user challenges. Among 49 female users, many reported difficulty in rotating the machine due to its weight, increased fatigue compared to handwashing, excessive noise, and ineffective stain removal. Reliability issues such as cracks in the wooden frame and barrel led many to dismantle and repurpose parts of the machine. Adoption rates were low, with the majority preferring handwashing, especially among families with children and users with disabilities. Future feedback studies will focus on users aged 30-50 with children to refine the design and understand potential improvements for usability and adoption.
Download the report here
Kabarto 1 & 2 - Initial Findings
This document summarises the initial findings from surveys conducted by Concern staff in Duhok Governorate’s Kabarto 1 & 2 IDP camps, between 21st March and 6th April 2021. Kabarto 1 & 2 are separated by a river but are in the same location otherwise.
Concern conducted a total of 10 interviews (5 in each camp) to gain insight into residents’ washing tendencies and to establish if there is a need for or there would be a benefit from using our washing machine solution. TWMP provided the questionnaires and concept designs (images and animations) to be used. Photos were also taken of the interviewees and their current laundry facilities, which were both in and outside of their allocated homes. All water for washing clothes is sourced from a household tap.
Download the report here
Post Distribution Monitoring Report
Washing Machine Distribution in Mamrashan IDP Camp– Duhok Governorate
According to a needs assessment carried out by The Washing Machine Project in four major Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps (Chameshko, Essyan, Sheikhan, and Khanke) in March 2019, IDPs in Dohuk camps face challenges washing their clothes due to a lack of electricity, and 40% don’t have a washing machine. With funding support from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), CARE distributed 30 portable washing machines as a cost-effective, electricity-free option. CARE distributed 30 prototypes of a manual washing machine for the pilot. After distribution, post-distribution monitoring was conducted to assess:
Performance / Efficiency of the machine meeting beneficiaries need
Acceptability
Appropriateness/usage
Download the report here
Mamrashan Camp - Research Findings
Primary research has been carried out by ‘The Washing Machine Project’ in conjunction with our partners Care International. 30 families within Mamrashan camp were surveyed to gain insight into their washing tendencies.
29 of the primary washers within the families were Female, on average they were 50 years old had been washing clothes for 33 years. 93% of them had started washing clothes by the age of 20.
The following shows our insight into their current habits with the aim of impacting our design & testing regimes & also investigating the benefits of Divya Washing Machine.
Download the report here
Iraq Initial Findings
TWMP surveyed 79 people to understand more about their washing habits. The survey was split into 5 sections: Background, Current Practice, Fabrics, Detergent and the Impact of Hand Washing.