But I was only trying to help… [...]

Recognizing consumer need the Peepoo is formulated from a bottom up perspective putting the users need first. From the website: Peepoople The end of poor sanitation! The puns are flowing so fast that I can’t control the flow. I’m flush with excitement! In the [...]

I need your help in finding examples of crazy, inappropriate or just plain unworkable ideas for doing development in Africa (or elsewhere). The kinds of things I’m interested in are: Unsustainable technologies Culturally inappropriate practices Some examples I’ve heard of: Russian [...]

From comics How about you? How have you changed Africa and vice versa? If you [...]

Is there any reason not to post a roundup of links to satire on the web? Holy Toast! I’ve already linked to stupid.com’s religion section once this week but another satirical offering won’t hurt: “The Holy Toast embossing device.” Yep, pretty much gotta get one of those. Socialites Without [...]

For my New Testament class this year I’ve decided to try developing a core of study materials for my students using Open Source online resources. Our current curriculum is based on some pretty thin course materials including translations of study guides and illegal photocopies of books. Intro and outline For [...]

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corinthians 9:6, NIV) For those of you who are younger I should explain. The thing in the photo is called a “floppy” or in the UK a [...]

Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet, Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat; But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth, [...]

Emeka Okafor on his Africa Unchained blog has a number of articles on the plague that is aid. That’s right. Not AIDS. But aid. Our open-handed generosity leads to dependency. The trick is shaking ourselves free from the “donor-beggar” paradigm and looking for new ways to engage the Third World. We have much to give. [...]

Image: At our house in the village, well diggers hit water beneath ten meters of clay and hard shale. You have to get beyond the front page. If you want to discover the riches and beauty of Africa you have to dig. Because the evening news isn’t going to give [...]

Both these development projects feature slick marketing. But I find myself liking Mocha Club and really disliking Girl Effect. Beneath the surface are they essentially naive microfinance schemes? I’ll let you have a look. I plan to talk about these ideas over the next few days. First, Mocha Club: [...]