Infrastructure tech for Guatemala's rural poor
Alex Lee of Cambridge, MA writes:
I noticed on your blog that you’re currently in Guatemala researching some stories. I’m a long time boingboing reader, and thought to pass along some information that you may find useful and interesting while you’re there.Link to The Appropriate Infrastructure Development GroupMy brother and a good friend started a non-profit organization focused on providing the rural poor with appropriate infrastructure technology – things like bio-digesters, solar hot water heaters, wind-turbines, and micro-hydro derived energy. All the technologies are open source, all their systems (project mgt, accounting, web) are done in open source, and the organization is self-sustaining. That is, each workshop (the first is in Quetzaltenango, aka Xela, the second will be in the Dominican Republic) hires local engineers, and each project is created and serviced locally – so each shop is a small, self-sustaining business, providing jobs and opportunity for local workers.
PS: Xela, Xeni... it’s almost too perfect.
Labels: Guatemala
5 Comments:
Hey Xeni,
This is Cat Laine from AIDG. I second Alex's recommendation. If you are in Xela by all means please swing by XelaTeco. The crew there is always happy to talk to people about the work that we are doing. You might also be interested in the Comunidad Nueva Alianza not too far from Xela and the ladies at Mercado Global.
Wow - that stuff from Cat and Alex is great. We saw a talk from Tim Kantz here in
Florida about the Cafe Conciencia project which partners with Nueva Alianza.
Cafe Conciencia:
http://www.cafeconciencia.org/
@Cat and Alex, thanks so much for the information, and the project sounds fascinating. I'm not sure if time and existing obligations will permit a visit in person during my current, all-too-brief stay in Guatemala -- but if not this time, for sure I'll plan to the next time through!
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Hey, Xeni
Back in 1980 a group of us lived in San Bartolo canton, just outside of Solola and overlooking Lake Atitlan. We were all vegans then and helped the village build a soy dairy. It's still in operation (appropriate tech) and sells tofu to restaurants in Antigua and Guat City, feeding the itinerant beatniks.
Check it out. La lecheria de soya!
Buen viaje
Cliff
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