“I don’t like to do the dishes in front of the house because I don’t want people to see me.” –Maria

Washing dishes in the campamentos was another arduous task that people had to cope with on a daily basis.  On this sunny winter day, the weather helped make this task a bit easier.  But you can imagine how difficult it would be to do this chore outside during the winter.  Wearing a heavy coat to wash dishes outside with cold water is reality for most families in the campamentos.  I remember how cold my hands were not to mention the strong smell of Clorox when I finished helping her with the dishes.

Without the basic needs of running water and drainage, Maria used two plastic buckets on top of broken oven to soap and rinse her dishes.  The steps to wash, required numerous carrying and moving of water to complete the task. I disliked washing dishes before I met Maria and still don’t like it but when I do clean, I’m constantly reminded of her family and what she has to endure daily.

Currently, my teammate Jackie and I are working on a formalized workstation for washing dishes to assist families like Maria. Here are some photos from our midterm presentation.  We’ll keep you posted on our design direction. If you have any questions and/or comments please post!

Thanks!

Kc-