People and Technology: transforming lives

13 Pages·2007·2.8 MB·English

by  Practical Action

People and Technology: transforming lives
People and Technology: transforming lives
Practical Action Group Strategy 2007-2012
People and Technology: transforming lives
C hanging lives through inspiration and innovation
In the heady 1960s a small group of inspired Another idea Schumacher developed 40 years our organisation, we also have to reach out to
people led by EF Schumacher set up the ago was also ahead of its time. He argued that the next generation of supporter. What
Intermediate Technology Development Group, or the earth has finite resources. If we did not Practical Action has to offer is of crucial and
Practical Action as it is now called, to help find look after the earth and develop within our urgent importance.
appropriate solutions to poverty. Schumacher means then we would all be in peril. Thus was
introduced a simple, but at the same time born the concept of sustainable development. Practical Action continues tirelessly to find a
revolutionary idea – find out what people are If only the world had listened. Maybe if we had balance between the simple, traditional ways
doing and help them to do it better. It seems so we would not be confronted today with ever of doing things and the best of the modern.
obvious now but at the time it really was out of increasing emissions of greenhouse gases; ever That is the wisdom for which all of us need to
the ordinary. Poor people in the third world more unpredictable weather pattern s; ever strive if we are to achieve a truly sustainable
knowing what to do? Surely not. Don’t they need more dire warnings of shrinking glaciers. While world, free from poverty and injustice, in
our help, our expertise, our ways of doing things? at the same time we witness ever greater levels which technology is used to the benefit of all.
What Schumacher did was to challenge these of inequalities in poverty and social injustice
arrogant assumptions, to listen to those whose across the world.
voices would be drowned out by the rush towards HRH The Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB,
modernity and materialism. Since then, this Today it seems to me that the world is even Patron
organisation has gone from strength to strength, more deeply divided and fragile than it was in
pioneering technology development at an Schumacher’s time. Schumacher saw a way to
appropriate level, and working with poor a world free of poverty and injustice where
communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America to technology works for all. This vision and these
offer practical answers to their problems. values are as relevant today as they were 40
years ago. But, while we reaffirm the values This is an extract from HRH The Prince of Wales’s message
and principles which inspire the foundations of on Practical Action’s 40th Anniversary.
2 Changing lives through inspiration and innovation Changing lives through inspiration and innovation 3
Mario Testino
Mohamed Siddig
People and Technology: transforming lives People and Technology: transforming lives
Selina’s ability to support her family was transformed when Practical Action trained her to use a different type of potter’s
Where we work
wheel. Easier to use than the traditional Bangladesh wheel, it is also more culturally acceptable for women to use.
United Kingdom
Pakistan Nepal
Bangladesh
Sudan India
Sri Lanka
Ecuador Kenya
Peru
Zambia
Bolivia Mozambique
Zimbabwe
“The new wheel is like a magic lamp which has changed our lives within months.”
Selina Rani Pal
4 Where we work 5
Zul
People and Technology: transforming lives People and Technology: transforming lives
Our mission Technology matters
In the developed world it is easy to take for granted services and the capacity to organise and use
To use technology to challenge poverty, working with poor
the technological advances that improve our lives. all of these in a way which helps the poor, too.
people to:
In the developing world, there is little to take Poor people need access to new technologies
for granted. suitable to their circumstances, a choice of
• build their capabilities, technologies and a say in what and how
Poor people are excluded by cost, distance or technologies are developed. We help them
lack of political clout from accessing essential achieve this through adapting traditional
• improve their access to technical options and knowledge and services and the technologies that could technologies, testing and introducing new ones
promote their wellbeing, improve their and challenging the barriers that get in the way.
livelihoods and help them cope with the
• help them influence the social, economic and institutional impact of climate change. Scientific research We and our partners work for a sustainable
and technological innovation are more attuned society which acknowledges that existing
systems for innovation and use of technology.
to the self-interest of rich and powerful elites, patterns of resource consumption by rich
rather than public interest and conditions in countries are in themselves unsustainable and
the developing world. also cannot ever be scaled up to the whole of
the world's population.
We want to change this.
Where we think that a change in technology
In the right environment, technological could harm the environment or people’s health,
advance can be an effective lever out of we will take action to control or prevent it. In our
poverty. That’s why our definition of technology programmes, we are committed to waste as little
includes not just gadgets, machinery or as possible, recycle wherever we can and
physical infrastructure but ideas, skills and promote renewable energies wherever possible.
6 Our mission Technology matters 7
Jaime Soto
Malú Cabellos
People and Technology: transforming lives People and Technology: transforming lives
Practical technology in action
... to flood protection, transport and food processing ...
From floating gardens and animal husbandry ...
... to renewable energy ... ... practical technology in action, changing lives.
8 Practical technology in action Practical technology in action 9
Mehrab ul Goni
Susan Porter Zul
Zul Karen Robinson
Angharad McKenzie Rakesh KC
Alison Noble Zul
Zul
People and Technology: transforming lives
D etermined to make a difference
Our ambition • We will push for government and donor world in which technology is used to the
policies which benefit poor people and benefit of all.
We have gone from strength to strength as an
provide more community control over
organisation. Following a period of rapid growth
the technologies which affect people’s • To finance this, we will grow our annual
and organisational change, we are eager and ready
lives. Working locally, nationally and income by 50% to £31m by 2012.
to step up our ambition for the period to 2012. Over
internationally, this work will deliver
the next five years we will make a difference:
greater access to basic services, markets To achieve this ambition our programme work
which work better for the poor, the will focus on five main areas:
• We will work with over three million poor
integration of principles of disaster
women and men in 13 countries, using
preparedness into planning and position • Coping with environment and conflict
technology to change people’s lives for
the needs of poor communities at the • Making markets work
the better.
heart of climate change agreements. • Getting a decent service
• Closing the new technology gap
• Our work will help provide stable
• Reaching out beyond our own projects we • Tackling climate change
livelihoods and food security, increase
will actively share our experience and
incomes through enhanced productivity
knowledge and that of our partners so that
and interaction with markets, and
others can benefit – multiplying the
improve people’s lives through access to
impact of our work and touching the lives
basic services such as water and
of millions more people. We’ll do this, for
sanitation, energy, waste management,
example, by expanding our technical
housing and transport.
enquiry service, publishing books and
journals through Practical Action
• We will help poor communities adapt to
Publishing and by providing services
the impacts of climate change,
through Practical Action Consulting.
developing models of excellence,
Through our work in schools in the UK
sharing learning and ‘scaling up’ impact.
we will encourage young people to
All of our work will be ‘climate proofed’
understand the interrelation between
and we will reduce the carbon footprint
technology and poverty, developing a
of our own organisation.
lifelong commitment to a sustainable
10 Determined to make a difference Determined to make a difference 11
Emma Judge
Rakesh Shrestha
People and Technology: transforming lives
Coping with environment and conflict
S hakhina lived with her husband, Moslem, and In Marasabit, Kenya, John Godana faced a Poor people tend to live in unsafe In the next five years we will have:
young daughter in a series of temporary houses different challenge. A gradual change in the environments susceptible to floods, landslides
on the sides of flood embankments in climate over the past few years has seen and drought. Their situation is often made • Helped people living in fragile rural
Bangladesh. Before he was married Moslem had drought occurring more severely and more worse by political marginalisation, inequitable environments in 10 countries to create
lost his family home, land, cattle and crops in frequently. John’s way of life as a pastoralist, policies, and unsustainable development sustainable livelihoods and achieve food
one night when floods destroyed his village. relying entirely on the products of his livestock planning. People are particularly vulnerable security through innovative agricultural
Moslem earned a subsistence wage through for a livelihood, is now under threat. Ethnic when they lack the assets to protect techniques and improved natural
agricultural labour work, often having to leave conflict in the northern region of Kenya and a themselves or the options of alternative resource management.
his wife and child alone for weeks at a time. growing population has made life even more livelihoods to enable them to cope with
difficult by cutting off access to traditional disasters and recover afterwards. Each shock • Worked in at least 9 countries to help
All that changed when Shakhina was granted pastures and watering areas. Together with drives them deeper into poverty and makes it poor communities, local governments
ownership of a new home in an innovative Practical Action, local communities have less likely they will ever be able to recover. and service providers to plan and
“During the monsoon
‘cluster village’ where housing and services worked to try to reverse this trend. prepare for potential risks, so that they
seasons, I would stay up such as water and sanitation have all been Disasters are not always inevitable. Working can better withstand man-made and
protected from future floods. Although they Communities with a record of hostility to one with communities to identify their needs, natural disasters.
nights for fear that a
have no farm land, Moslem and Shakhina are another have been brought together to work on Practical Action and its partners help people
storm will destroy my now able to grow food for themselves and a the construction of dams and boreholes, to manage the risks they face, adapt to • Worked nationally and internationally to
little extra for market. This is because they are creating both new watering places and a environmental changes and have the resources advocate for poor communities to have a
house and leave me
using new agricultural techniques which allow rationale for peace. Training has been provided and knowledge to build a more sustainable stronger voice in planning processes and
homeless. I don’t have previously barren sand banks to be brought on veterinary techniques to improve animal and secure future. policies, and to highlight how technology
into cultivation in the dry season and floating health. Further training has been provided to can help people in fragile environments
that fear anymore.”
vegetable gardens to be used in the monsoon. diversify sources of income to reduce reliance better protect their means of livelihood
Through the introduction of simple changes on cattle. from disasters, environmental change
in technology for housing, services and food and conflict.
Shakina, new owner of
production, Moslem and Shakhina have not Now he has trained as a para-vet and been
flood resistant house, only regained a home, but also security over provided with a kit of equipment and drugs,
their livelihoods and food supply. John has found both a new livelihood and a
Gaibanda, Bangladesh
way in which he can help fellow pastoralists.
12 Determined to make a difference Determined to make a difference 13
Mehrab ul Goni
Karen Robinson
People and Technology: transforming lives People and Technology: transforming lives
Making markets work
Hibiscus, known in Sudan as karkadeh, is used People living in rural areas across the In the next five years we will have:
largely in herbal teas and is one of Sudan’s major developing world struggle to make a living
export crops. As growing conditions there are because the odds are stacked against them. • Helped poor farmers, fishermen and
ideal, it should be a reliable income earner. They lack capital, receive little technical or livestock producers in at least 11
However, the price Sudanese karkadeh fetches marketing support and often work in isolation. countries raise household incomes and
on export is falling, partly due to international External factors such as customs, tax and become more resilient to changes in the
competition, but also because of problems with other local and national regulations, along markets. We will achieve this by working
farmer efficiency, product quality and local tax with the power and behaviour of other people with farmers to improve productivity,
regulations. Poor small scale producers, largely in the market chain between producers and introduce better processing
women, are particularly affected. consumers, can create barriers to small rural technologies, and organise for influence
producers engaging profitably with national and more effective interaction with local
Practical Action is working with 40,000 small or export markets. The problems are even markets. In at least 4 countries we will
scale hibiscus farmers in Darfur and Kordafan worse for the most disadvantaged people or prioritise people living in areas that are
states to change this. We’re introducing those emerging from conflict, disaster or emerging from long term conflict,
technologies for picking, drying and storing the economic crises. disaster or economic crises.
flower to improve quality; building associations
of small growers to be able to better negotiate Practical Action works with marginalised rural • Worked to influence appropriate
prices; and addressing weaknesses in the producers to increase their productivity and government departments and others
market chain between producer and exporter income, improve access to resources and involved to consider changes to subsidy
where regulation or existing practice is infrastructure, and to help them understand policies, regulatory bottlenecks and
causing problems. and influence the markets they operate in. other policies or practices which put
We do this through training, introducing new poor people at a disadvantage when
technologies and building links with other engaging with market systems.
rural businesses.
New technologies and ways of working introduced by Practical Action are enabling small-scale
karkadeh farmers in Sudan to earn a better income.
14 Determined to make a difference Determined to make a difference 15
Awadalla Hamid
Awadalla Hamid
People and Technology: transforming lives
Getting a decent service
In Dhading District in Nepal, transporting goods To help improve the quality of water and make As well as impacting on health and well being, • Assisted communities in urban slums
such as kerosene, fertiliser and rice to the the supply cheaper and more reliable, an access to basic services often has a knock-on in 9 countries to enjoy a better and
village of Janagaun used to mean for villagers innovative solution is being trialled. This was economic effect. The opening of a road can healthier living environment, and gain
like Pawan Dhakal a four-hour walk up a steep developed following research and negotiations mean better access to markets for farmers, access to income earning opportunities
winding trail with a 50kg load on their back. conducted by Practical Action over several while electricity can provide the energy source through being involved in the provision
Taking cash crops down from the village to sell years. The water company will provide a needed to allow small businesses to start up, of services such as waste disposal and
was the same in reverse. But Practical Action has control meter chamber close to the informal for example. Community managed services recycling, water and sanitation
now worked with local communities to install an settlements. The small enterprises will become also offer opportunities for poor people to and energy.
aerial ropeway, powered by gravity alone, which recognised entities, reducing the amount of improve their income levels through being
dramatically cuts the time to just 90 seconds. harassment they face from the water company. involved in the provision of the service itself. • Pressed nationally and internationally
Apart from the huge savings in time and effort, The kiosk owners are responsible for laying for the needs of poor people to be
the damage that would normally occur to pipes into the settlement and are billed by In the next five years we will have: included in planning for services,
“Life is easier now. Many
products like tomatoes during transport is now the water company, providing an incentive and for smaller-scale, locally-managed
people from my village much less and the value of Janagaun’s produce for them to use better materials and • Helped improve the accessibility, health, services to be supported by policy
has increased. reduce leakages. well being and productivity of poor rural makers. For example, for small scale
are growing and selling
communities in 12 countries, through a local power generation options for
vegetables that can be In Kenya, informal, unplanned settlements Everyone’s a winner. The residents enjoy range of services – such as better energy isolated rural communities to be
without any formal water services are home to better access to more reliable and cheap supplies (small scale hydroelectricity, included in national energy investment
transported using the
more than 60 percent of Nairobi’s population. water. Some can run successful businesses bio gas, LPG supply, bio fuels, solar plans; and for reconstruction agencies
ropeway and then sold Residents rely on small water-selling through supplying water. And the water energy and fuel efficient cooking to rebuild in more participatory ways
enterprises operating from kiosks, stand pipes, company receives more of the income for stoves); improved transport (small feeder following disasters.
in Kathmandu. My
or bicycle deliveries, and are often charged very the water it supplies. roads, bridges and ropeways); safe water
community therefore has high prices, especially when supplies are short. and sanitation; housing; waste disposal
In rural and urban settings throughout the and recycling.
more money now.”
One of the reasons for shortages is the huge developing world, billions of poor people live
amount of leakage from the system, partly in inadequate shelter, excluded from essential
caused by these informal enterprises illegally services most of us take for granted, such as
Pawan Dhakal, Nepal
connecting to the mains pipes. water and sanitation, transport and electricity.
16 Determined to make a difference Determined to make a difference 17
Rakesh KC
Karen Robinson
People and Technology: transforming lives People and Technology: transforming lives
Closing the new technology gap
One of our projects in Peru uses podcasting We work with poor people to enhance their In the next five years we will have:
to get important agricultural information to knowledge of new technologies so that they
remote farmers. can better assess the opportunities and threats • Helped develop ways in which the
to their livelihoods. rural poor people in three countries
Programmes covering subjects such as cattle- can access modern information
raising, dairy production and grape growing are In Zimbabwe, for example, Practical Action communications technology.
sent twice a month to eight telecentres, many has brought scientists involved in the
of them run on solar power, where they are development of new types of water filter • Worked in those countries on ways
automatically downloaded onto CDs for using nanotechnology together with two poor to create interaction between poor
distribution and rebroadcast on local radio communities to discuss the potential for using communities and scientists, so that the
stations. Farmers listen to the information such technology to provide clean drinking risks and opportunities posed to poor
they need in their own dialects. water. The event was also an opportunity for people by new technologies can be
the scientists to understand what typical rural better understood and acted on.
New technologies such as information and communities expectations would be in relation
communication technology, biotechnology and to the cost, operation and benefits from • Promoted nationally and internationally
nanotechnology have the power to transform this technology. more dialogue between scientists,
our lives. But scientific and technological communities, governments and others
research is dominated by the demands of rich involved in development to understand
consumers rather than the needs of the poor. how innovation in science-led
technology can better address human
We need to change this so that all forms of needs rather than just market wants.
technology, old and new, work in harmony
to combat poverty.
Podcasts containing important agricultural information are broadcast from rural radio stations. Farmers in the Peruvian Andean highlands have been trained to use camcorders so they can
share the knowledge more widely.
18 Determined to make a difference Determined to make a difference 19
Rob Cartridge
Jaime Soto