These Hands has successfully assisted communities in the Southern African Development Community to develop technological solutions to local development challenges. In 2017, These Hands helped cofound the International Development Innovation Network – Southern African Development Community (IDIN-SADC) in partnership with the Kafue Innovation Center in Zambia and the Twende Social Innovation Center in Tanzania. IDIN-SADC works with local communities to develop technologies that help to address local development challenges. IDIN-SADC achieves this by promoting grassroots innovation, providing training on engineering and design processes, and connecting communities with outside expertise to collaboratively design technology that addresses local developmental and livelihood problems.
IDIN-SADC received funding from the Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Southern Africa Innovation Support Program and the Letshego Group to launch the Recruiting, Retooling, Up-skilling, Profiling, and Connecting Confident Grassroots Innovators in the SADC Region Program. This program aimed to increase the support IDIN-SADC provides to Botswana, Zambia, and Tanzania and to expand services into other SADC countries. The program also aimed to develop at least five technologies that will improve livelihoods and to help commercialize these technologies.
IDIN-SADC managed this project in 2020 and 2021. IDIN-SADC held multiple community engagement and development events to train local communities in the design process and to develop technology. This effort included 51 Built It Training Sessions, 32 Creative Capacity Building Workshops, and 15 Business Workshops. These sessions helped to recruit local innovators, teach the design process, and provide training on how to commercialize the technologies developed and bring them to market. IDIN-SADC also awarded 30 grants to innovators so they can continue refining their technology and develop business plans. Some of these technologies have been brought to market and are now in the early stages of commercialization.
One of the most notable success stories from this project was the Creative Capacity Building workshop held in Moiyabana, Botswana. This workshop was held in September 2020. 20 unemployed youth attended this workshop to develop design skills. The participants of this workshop developed four technology prototypes including a fodder chopper, a brick molder, a charcoal-powered popcorn machine, and a water-efficient garden system. The participants developed business plans for each of these technologies and presented at a business exposition. During the exposition, the participants sold one unit of the water-efficient garden system, two units of the brick molder, and multiple servings of popcorn. Since the exposition concluded, the participants have sold an additional brick molder and have manufactured and sold bricks. In addition, they have developed prototypes for a clothes hanger and a gravesite shade stand. Sales from these technologies have generated about €1,400 in revenue since the exposition. Some of the proceeds will be reinvested to start up a business that manufactures and sells wire fencing.
This project was a resounding success and helped to foster innovation, technology development, and entrepreneurship in numerous communities throughout the SADC region. These Hands will continue to support these entrepreneurs and will build on the successes of this project to expand our services to additional communities.
You can find more information about our work in the IDIN-SADC Final Impact Report
