Kenyan boy, 9, wins national award for hand-washing machine invention

Sensing the importance of regular hand-wash to stop spread of coronavirus, a 9-year-old boy in Kenya has invented a wooden hand-washing machine to help stop the expansion of the deadly virus in communities and has won a national award for his invention.

Stephen Wamukota, 9, was among 68 people to receive the The Presidential Order of Service, Uzalendo Award, this week in recognition of service to Kenya amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He is the youngest ever recipient for Uzalendo Award.

Wamukota said he was “very happy” to receive a presidential award for his invention.

Stephen’s machine uses a foot pedal to tip a bucket of water onto a user’s hands, avoiding touching any surfaces and reducing infections.

The Bungoma County youth said he was inspired by watching people struggle to wash their hands without having to touch objects that were previously touched by unwashed hands.

Wamukota said the machine, which he built with help from his father, cost less than $30 in materials to build.

Kenya has more than 2000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and has recorded 69 deaths.