NGOs in developing nations play a pivotal role in providing food, medical care, solar power and more to those most marginalized.
Organizations in developing nations know first-hand that technologies claiming to solve major challenges often do not align well with the educational level or resources in poor communities. There is no shortage of exciting solutions for poverty, farming, food storage or medical aid. Yet, those problems still persist. It is the ability for new technologies to be easily operated in developing nations with little maintenance that keeps these technologies from solving such challenges.
NGOs must consider maintenance and the overall life-span of a product before purchase. While low-cost options are attractive, their lack of durability can lead to wasted resources in regions where repair is not an option.
There are many hoops to jump through when bringing new technologies into developing regions. NGOs must comply with governmental regulations and restrictions along with taxes and other hidden costs that go into brining new tech into a country. For that reason, it is vital to consider the long-term effectiveness of a solution to determine whether it is worth the effort.
Things to consider when making major technology purchases for developing regions:
Low Maintenance:
Both the regional population and NGO workers need technology that requires low maintenance. While some NGO workers may be technologically literate, they may not have the resources to repair high maintenance technologies.
Product Life Span:
The lifespan of a product should be considered when evaluating price. A high maintenance product may have long-term costs that outweigh the item’s initial utility. Higher priced items may seem initially intimidating, but their cost should be evaluated. The promised life of the product should be considered along with price.
Community Alignment:
New technology must align with community resources and capabilities. NGOs may plan to operate the technology within the community. Instead, they may seek to educate the community on how to utilize the resource. No matter which road is taken, the technology should not require maintenance that is unattainable within the region.
There is no one size fits all solution to challenges such as food waste, poverty or clean water. In order for new technologies to provide change that lasts they must be reliable. Too often, equipment and tools are wasted due to misalignment with the resources of communities in need. Aldelano Solar Cold Chain Solutions provides products that are customizable, require little to no maintenance and operate independent of any power grid. We have created: cold storage solutions for food and medicine; a device that creates clean water and ice from moisture in the air; and robust solar power devices that can power everything from a small home to a large building.
Our goal is to see our solar solutions create a long-term impact in the regions where they are utilized.
