Charity Vending Machine - Khawater TV Feature
The Charity Vending Machine was a social innovation project built in just 3 days for Ahmed Al-Shugairi's famous Khawater TV program during Ramadan 2015. The machine accepted donations of books, toys, and clothes, integrating with a charity organization for collection and distribution. Deployed in one of the most populated malls in Cairo, Egypt, the project was featured on national television, reaching millions of viewers during the holy month of Ramadan.
Problem Solved
Traditional charity donation methods lacked engagement and visibility, missing opportunities to encourage donations in high-traffic public spaces like shopping malls.
- •Designed and built the vending machine system in 3-day timeframe
- •Programmed Raspberry Pi for donation acceptance system
- •Used makerspace equipment (3D printer, laser cutter, CNC) for rapid prototyping
- •Integrated hardware with charity organization's collection workflow
- •Presented the innovation on national television
- ✓Featured on Khawater TV program with Ahmed Al-Shugairi, reaching millions of viewers during Ramadan
- ✓Built working charity innovation in just 3 days under extreme time pressure
- ✓Deployed in one of Cairo's most populated malls for maximum public impact
- ✓Accepted multiple donation types (books, toys, clothes) with charity organization integration
- ✓National television exposure during Ramadan - highest viewership period in Arab world
Scale
- • Millions of TV viewers during Ramadan
- • Deployed in high-traffic Cairo mall
Technology Stack
Challenge
Ahmed Al-Shugairi visited the makerspace and asked for an innovation to be created in just 3 days for the TV show.
Solution
The team rapidly prototyped using makerspace equipment (3D printer, laser cutter, CNC), combining Raspberry Pi programming with physical construction to deliver a complete working system.
Impact
Successfully delivered a functional charity vending machine in time for the TV appearance.
Challenge
Creating a physical donation acceptance system that could handle multiple item types (books, toys, clothes) and integrate with charity operations.
Solution
Designed a flexible acceptance system powered by Raspberry Pi with appropriate mechanical interfaces for different donation types.
Impact
Machine successfully accepted varied donations and connected them to charity distribution channels.
Situation
Ahmed Al-Shugairi, host of the famous Ramadan TV program Khawater, visited Qafeer Makerspace in Egypt. Khawater travels the world showcasing innovations and good people doing great things. Ahmed was in Egypt looking for innovators and good models to feature on his show.
Task
Ahmed noticed the makerspace team and asked them to create an innovation in just 3 days that could be presented on his program and have real social impact.
Action
The team conceived and built a Charity Vending Machine - a system where people could donate books, toys, and clothes through an engaging vending machine interface. Using Raspberry Pi for the core system and makerspace equipment for rapid prototyping, they designed, built, and programmed the complete system in the 3-day timeframe. The machine was integrated with a charity organization for collection and distribution of donated items.
Result
The Charity Vending Machine was deployed in one of Cairo's most populated malls and featured on Khawater TV during Ramadan, reaching millions of viewers. The project demonstrated how technology and maker culture could be applied to social good, fulfilling a childhood dream of being featured on the show with a role model like Ahmed Al-Shugairi.
Technical
- • Raspberry Pi microcontroller programming
- • Hardware-software integration for physical systems
- • Rapid prototyping using makerspace equipment
- • Embedded system design under extreme time constraints
Soft Skills
- • Performance under extreme pressure with national TV deadline
- • Presenting technical innovations to non-technical audiences
- • Translating social needs into technical solutions
Key Insights
- 💡 Technology can be a powerful force for social good when applied to real community needs
- 💡 Makerspaces enable rapid innovation by providing tools and collaborative environment
- 💡 Extreme deadlines can catalyze creative solutions and team performance