Friday, November 07, 2008

Appropriate Technology Provides Appropriate Solutions

I just read a great article from Popular Mechanics on appropriate technology, or the use of relatively low-tech solutions to solve common problems. For example, there has been a lot of work on creating an affordable laptop, but what would families do with a computer if they have no reliable access to fresh water? The article, “MIT’s Guru of Low-Tech Engineering Fixes the World on $2 a Day,” details a number of creative efforts to help families in developing countries generate energy, process food more efficiently and ensure a supply of clean fresh water.

A lot of these ideas are borne of a true understanding of the challenges faced by impoverished communities. Many people visit developing countries and have a gut reaction to what they see; they return home and try to address the problems without really understanding the needs or wants of the community.

Just like many of the efforts discussed in the article, Coffee Kids works to understand community needs and respects the ingenuity of the people we work with. They are the only ones who really understand what could help improve their quality of life.