COVID-19: Kenyan boy, 9, who made hand-washing machine, gets presidential award

Stephen Wamukota, a nine-year-old boy from Kenyan, has received a presidential award for making a wooden hand-washing machine to combat the COVID-19.

According to BBC, Stephen got the idea for the project after watching how people can prevent themselves from contracting the novel coronavirus on television.

The young boy lives with his family in Mukwa village, in Bungoma country, western Kenyan, where only one case of the virus has been recorded.

To combat spread of the virus in the community, the little boy had created the wooden machine to encourage regular hand-washing among residents.

With a foot pedal and a bucket of water, residents can wash their hands using the machine without touching surfaces to reduce infections.

The young chap has so far developed two of such machines but hopes to make more in the coming days.

“I now have two machines and I want to make more,” he told the news outlet.

James Wamukota, Stephen’s father, explained that his son made the machine using pieces of wood originally bought to make a window frame.

“I had bought some pieces of wood to make a window frame, but I when I came back home after work one day I found that Stephen had made the machine,” he said.

Wamukota, who repairs electronic goods for a living, said he is very proud of his son, adding that he had always indicated interest to learn his trade.

“The concept was his and I helped tighten the machine. I’m very proud,” he added.

To commend him for his initiative, President Uhuru Kenyatta had named him among 68 Kenyans given the Presidential Order of Service, Uzalendo (Patriotic) Award on Monday.

Congratulations to all who received presidential order of service, UZALENDO AWARD.

At number 53 is a 9 year old class 3 pupil from Bungoma who innovated a hand washing machine.

Kudos Stephen Wamukota! pic.twitter.com/ussXwvlHOk

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— 𝕯𝖆𝖛𝖎𝖉 𝕯𝖚𝖗𝖔 𝕲𝖆𝖑𝖌𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖔 (@DrDuroGalgallo) June 2, 2020

According to Wamukota, the county governor has also promised to give him a scholarship. He added that his son hopes to become an engineer when he grows up.

Kenya has so far recorded 2,216 COVID-19 cases and 74 deaths, according to worldometers.