This 9-year-old boy from Kenya constructed a wooden hand washing machine that helps avert the spread of the coronavirus.
The boy said for the media that he’s very happy for getting the presidential award. The boy, Stephen Wamukota, said that he now has 2 machines and wants to construct more.
The machine is made from wood and there’s one foot pedal in the bottom front that you press to tip the bucket of water without having to touch any surfaces.
You can then freely wash your hands without worrying about the risk of virus spreading.
How Did this Young Boy Come Up with this Amazing Idea?
Wamukota came up with the idea for the machine after watching TV and learning about ways to reduce our risk of catching the virus.
Unfortunately, his home country Kenya has more than 2000 cases of the virus and 69 deaths.
Together with his family, he lives in the Mukwa village in the Bungoma County in the west of Kenya. Luckily, there’s not a single case of the virus reported in his village.
His dad, James, is worried that the diseases could still reach their area.
How Did the Boy Construct the Machine?
His father explained that he had purchased several wood pieces to make a window frame. However, when he came home after work, he saw that his son made the machine.
It was his concept and he just helped him tighten it up. He was and is still very proud.
James repairs electronic goods for a living and says that his son has always been interested in learning his trade. He shared the project on Facebook and was amazed by how quickly it started being shared.
The hand washing machine made Stephen part of the 68 Kenyans who were given the Presidential Order of Service, Uzalendo Award.
The 9-year-old boy says he wants to become an engineer. The county governor promised him a scholarship, according to the boy’s father.
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