Medellin inaugurates its first Community Laundry Center to benefit 60 families: find out where it is located
Omaira Pineda is 65 years old, has been a volunteer leader for 30 years, and lives in Manrique Las Granjas with her mother, whom she must care for without fail due to her health condition. Added to this are all the household chores, so her time is more than consumed; it is rare for her to find a moment for herself, her rest and enjoyment. One of the most demanding activities for Omaira is washing clothes, and she does it every other day. In a week, she invests more than 12 hours in that process, not only in washing, but also in hanging and folding. Now it will be different, both for her and for 59 other people.
TL;DR
- The first Community Laundry Center has opened in the UVA La Alegría, Manrique, offering free services to 60 selected caregivers.
- Beneficiaries can use the facility twice a week, with clothes returned clean and folded within two hours.
- The program aims to reduce unpaid domestic work, which amounts to 240 hours weekly for these caregivers.
- Mayor Federico Gutiérrez announced plans to replicate this center in every commune and corregimiento of Medellín.
- This initiative is part of the 'Círculos de Cuidado' network, which provides various support services to women, including psycho-legal assistance and digital skills training.
- The laundry center operates Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.