The Unexpected Power of a Laundry Machine

When you think about what a rural hospital in Kenya might need most, a laundry machine probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.

But for us, it was a game-changer.

Our old laundry machine had been with us for years. It was slow, underpowered, and frequently broke down. Sometimes it would take hours just to get through a single load, and even then, the results weren’t always reliable. Staff often had to run the same batch twice, wasting both time and water. At its worst, it delayed clean linens getting to patients who needed them most.

Clean linens are a basic but essential part of patient care, and we were constantly struggling to keep up.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were able to replace that aging machine with a new, high-capacity unit. This wasn’t just a swap—it was a transformation. The new machine is faster, more reliable, and able to handle the high volume of linens our hospital uses every day. We also moved the laundry facility to a more practical location within the hospital grounds, making the whole process more streamlined and efficient.

Our new laundry machine

The changes have been nothing short of remarkable.

Linens now come out cleaner and faster. Turnaround time has dropped significantly, which means wards are always stocked with fresh bedding. Our staff no longer spends hours troubleshooting the old machine or waiting on laundry—they can focus more on patients. And for those patients—about 41,000 outpatients and 4,100 inpatients each year—it means a safer, more dignified environment during what is often a vulnerable time.

It’s easy to overlook something as seemingly mundane as a laundry machine. But for us, it’s been a quiet revolution—one that’s improved hygiene, efficiency, and morale all at once.

And that’s all thanks to the people who believed in the importance of meeting real, everyday needs. Even the ones that don’t always make headlines.