Technology challenging poverty
Intelligence and passion to eradicate poverty
We live in a rapidly changing world. Technological advances are increasing our productivity and income, our quality of life and our life expectancy … in the developed world, that is. The truth is that technological development is focused on meeting the needs of rich consumers. Scant attention is paid to the vital needs of people in the developing world.
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Our world is deeply divided. The inequality between rich and poor has never been so stark.
In Africa half a million children die each month from the effects of poverty. Our world is fragile too. Humanity faces the twin challenges of climate change and environmental degradation - and, of course, we have all seen that those living in poverty are the first to suffer the consequences.
The world needs to change.
Practical Action's vision is of a world free of poverty and injustice in which technology is used to the benefit of all. We strive towards this vision by working together with poor communities to help them become self-sustaining. We actively share knowledge and seek to influence the policy and practice of others to build greater benefits for all.
Practical Action draws on over forty years' experience. Back in the 1960s a small group of inspired people, led by the economist and author of Small is Beautiful, Dr E F Schumacher, established Practical Action (the Intermediate Technology Development Group). Their work was based on Schumacher's very simple but, at the time, ingenious and revolutionary idea: "Find out what people are doing and help them do it better."
Since then, Practical Action has gone from strength to strength, pioneering participatory technology development alongside poor communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Another of Schumacher's ideas that was ahead of its time was his recognition that the Earth has finite resources, and that if we do not develop within our means we will be in peril. At Practical Action we have always been committed to promoting sustainable development as we use technology to challenge poverty. Today, the urgency of this approach has only increased.
Technology challenging today's divided world
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Our approach
Practical Action works alongside communities to find practical solutions to the poverty they face. We see technology as a vital contributor to people's livelihoods. Our definition of technology includes physical infrastructure, machinery and equipment, knowledge and skills and the capacity to organise and use all of these.
We actively seek to work with communities and adopt a collaborative approach, sharing knowledge and experience. We increase our impact by scaling up success and pushing for policy change that directly bene. ts poor communities.
People focused
Above all else, the transition from poverty to prosperity must involve investing in people. Practical Action seeks solutions that are defined and owned by each individual community.
In eastern Sudan, for example, we established Women's Development Associations, which have helped equip women with skills, training and access to financial services, to enhance their earning opportunities and overall quality of life. Improved negotiating skills means the women are reaching economic independence and have improved access to services.
Practical answers
We use simple, innovative ideas to help people change their lives for the better. In Peru, for example, we worked with poor communities to introduce micro-hydro electric systems. With a sustainable electricity supply, people can now use machinery and communication devices to increase their productivity and improve the quality of their lives. Children now have light to study by without damaging their eyes, while teachers and other professional people are less likely to move away from the villages. These award-winning micro-hydro electric systems can transform lives now and for generations to come.
Sustainable solutions
Genuine change takes decades, not weeks - it requires solutions which will transform lives for generations to come. This includes social and economic sustainability, as well as meeting environmental challenges.
In Gaibandha in Bangladesh, for example, the annual monsoon floods 90 percent of the land and robs 80 percent of villagers of their homes, livelihoods and essential services. Together with the local communities, Practical Action is developing cluster villages to house people whose land and homes are at risk. Additionally, extension pipes to water supplies ensure access to safe drinking water throughout the floods.
next » Practical Action's approach
VisionA world free of poverty and injustice in which technology is used to the benefit of all. |
MissionTo use technology to challenge poverty, working with poor people to:
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Download these pages as a full-colour illustrated PDF ~2MbFor more information on our current work, see our four programme aims, the appropriate technologies we use, or read our Annual Highlights and Report 2007.
Practical Action The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development, Bourton-on-Dunsmore, Rugby CV23 9QZ, United Kingdom
T +44 (0) 1926 634400 | E practicalaction@practicalaction.org.uk |
W www.practicalaction.org
