The Art Center College of Design’s social impact design department, Designmatters, with the Environmental Design department, led a special educational studio called, Safe Agua Peru with the aim to create designs that help to relieve water poverty. The project efforts were focused on the area of, Cerro Verde, a 30,000-person slum [asentamientos] in Lima, Peru. Here, teams worked closely with resident families. However, the resulting designs can be applied to any country or population suffering form a lack of water supply. One project working to make efficient everyday use of water is, GiraDora. GiraDora, developed by two students from Safe Agua, Alex Cabunoc and Ji A You, is a human-powered washing machine and spin dryer.

GiraDora allows people without access to running water, to more easily wash clothing, helping to instill dignity back into communities suffering from poverty. The design is efficient and ergonomic. The user sits atop the device and pumps a petal with his or her foot. The pedal spins the device, working to either clean or dry clothes.

The design doubles productivity and increases the health of the user. GiraDora may also offer opportunities to generate income.