Less is More: Revisiting AfriGadget
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 03.18.08
We found Afrigadget mid last year and were delighted with the inspired content. The craftmanship, creativity and ability to overcome amazing odds catalogued there, is such a wonderfully welcome counterpoint to the negative news Western media normally serves us.
The site underwent a revamp early this year and we’d encourage you to give it the once over. Amongst of our faves, buried in the archives are the very enterprising mobile phone booth! And the homemade paraglider made from plastic bags, purloined rope and baling wire.
We were thrilled when Erik Hersman, founder of AfriGadget let us know that “Treehugger is one of my personal favorites, and is a big part of the inspiration behind AfriGadget.”
We wonder if any of our readers knows anyone who’d be similarly inspired by the work of Afrigadget, and would be interested in supporting their Grassroots Reporting Project? The idea is to is our plan to find, equip and train 10 AfriGadget reporters in the field throughout Africa. The reporter would in turn unearth more of these amazing stories of ingenuity. ::AfriGadget
Thank you! At last. Was hoping you would bring this in. I did a piece a week or so ago about the potential of tICT in Africa. How to bring the bottom the pyramid to web 2.0. But don't worry - Africans will create a new web 2.0 - African style and make the money themselves. Here a few stories how they are doing that. http://angryafrican.net/2008/03/11/web-20-african-style/