Thursday, April 21, 2011

AfriGadget – African ingenuity


Last time I told about my misfortunes as blogger. But today I ventured to the site where I think I got the virus to my computer - and indeed, there was this text: "We’re currently fighting a bug that has affected our server, hence the long delay in updating this wonderful blog." 

Good! I had been wondering why this very site had had a virus, because the people behind the site are clearly professionals. Anyway, the situation seems to be in control now. But if you get any pop-ups that look like security warnings, get out!

AfriGadget  is a website dedicated to showcasing African ingenuity. A team of bloggers and readers contribute their pictures, videos and stories from around the continent. The stories of innovation are inspiring. It is a testament to Africans bending the little they have to their will, using creativity to overcome life’s challenges.

Newest invention presented in AfriGadget is a billboard poster re-used as a roof cover - waterproof.(in the photo above)

There is also an absolutely heart-breaking series of photos showing how boys from a children’s home in Kenya make a football using old plastic bags and sisal string. Here is one of the photos:


Even more heartbreaking is the video of remote controlled toy car. Definitely worth watching – and it makes you think. My children's rooms are full of beautiful toys, but in our world many - most? - little boys and girls have to construct their own toys.

Other good ones are, for example:



Poop piki piki for a biogas system (Piki piki means motorbike in Kiswahili) 

See through wireradio - and it works! 


AfriGadget also has its own Facebook group, and it is a community where people share ideas.

OK. Thanks for reading. This was the first of three part of my "technology" series. The next blog will present technology that is a little more advanced. But not any less innovative!

Happy Easter!

Ulla

2 comments:

  1. I dont think the toys are heart breaking. Creative maybe. But that is what we(Rural Africans) made as kids. I never had a bought toy. I made everything I played with including balls and carton vehicles.

    And it was fun. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your comment. I did not mean that the toys are heart-breaking as meaning sad. The toys are really wonderful, and the children in the pictures and the video are just endearing. Also, it would do good for my kids to make some toys themselves :-)

    ReplyDelete