IDDS Botswana Projects
This coming Monday, participants will present their projects and prototypes to the community. The projects are coming to life and a short description of each one can be found below:
CGUI: Morama Nut Sheller
Morama is an indigenous nut of the Kalahari Desert that can be found around D’Kar. It is a valued and healthy source of food for local families and a good source of income if sold. However, the traditional method for shelling the nuts by cracking with stones or sticks is time-consuming (20-30mins per kg), laborious, and can cause injuries.
The aim of our project is to work with local people to develop two devices which will improve and impact lives in Dkar. Firstly, a simple handheld cracker for households that can shell morama nuts safely at a faster rate (from 12 nuts per minute when shelled by hand to 25 nuts per minute)
And secondly, a rotary machine for efficiently cracking larger quantities of nuts to empower local entrepreneurs to make and sell morama products.
Team: Lucy Patterson, Palak Aggarwal, Komtsha Sixpence Thabang Moiphisi, Oda ScatoliniElivas Nyirenda, Setshego Tibi
EZ NCORO: Human-powered Washing Machine
Washing clothes is a time-consuming and labour-intensive activity for the women of D’kar. It often takes them a full day each week to clean their family’s clothes. Water scarcity further complicates the process. In addition to the usual challenges of washing and rinsing clothes by hand, many women must walk a kilometre or more each way to fetch water from a community tap.
Our team created a simple, low-cost, human-powered washing machine and wringer to reduce the time and effort needed to wash clothes and conserve water in each step of the process. By using this product, the women of D’kar can spend their extra time on other household chores, with their family and community, or generating income.
Team: Frank Gaseitsiwe, Joseph Chipyoka, Joseph Dii, Liz Hunt, Sakhile Ndlovu, Sixpence Sixpence, Tabaxlae Kaashe, Carolina Menezes
CAM QG’AM: Solar Bead Furnace
Jewelry making in D’Kar is important to the people’s livelihood and culture. The jewelry is commonly made using ostrich egg shells and glass beads. However, glass beads are expensive to buy from the local craft shops and this sometimes hinders the jewelry makers from meeting the demand of the jewelry. In other countries glass beads are made using a firewood furnace, however, firewood is a scarce resource in D’Kar. We are introducing a solar bead furnace which will harness the power of the sun and use it to make glass beads. With the solar bead furnace, jewelry makers in D’Kar can customize their jewelry by making molds to make their own glass beads that will carry their identity and the culture of the people of D’Kar.
Team: Tempei Borba, Asit Kumar Purohit, Nicodemus Barkard, Jester Sealetsa, Dimpho Moatshe, Wendy Banja, Lulu Chuulu, Beauty Tjienda, Nxabe Tase, Qasa Tsixa
HUIKU: Deep Sand Wheelchair
Active wheelchair riders in D’Kar have difficulty moving through the sand and gravel terrain, which limits their mobility and their interactions throughout community. They often have to exert a lot of effort to move independently or rely on others to help move around and beyond the house. We have developed accessories, including wider, more durable wheels and levers to drive those wheels that can be adapted to existing wheelchairs so that the riders can retain the comfort of their current products while moving through sand more easily. We hope this promotes better access to more resources and opportunities in the community to increase their abilities to live more independent and fulfilling lives.
Team: Ketelelo Moapare, Haily Tran, Xgaiga Qomaxa, John Nambwa,Kebonye Sethunya Leburu, Coexae Mpho, Monkgogi Otlhogile, Keemenao Matale, Aaron Wieler, Pierce Gordon, Matt McCambridge, Helen Amorin
C’EEKG’AM: Sustainable Tea Maker
Families in D’kar find firewood is becoming scarce and harder to find, but the outdoor fire is central to life in the Kalahari. We have sought to create fuel briquettes from agricultural and animal waste (maize stalks and donkey waste). We have also created a stove to efficiently use this fuel and firewood more efficiently. While not expecting to fully replace the morning and evening family fire, these products will be especially valuable for smaller quantities of water boiled throughout the day, making already stretched resources go further.
Team: Nani Setlhatlhanyo, Badisa Ntlape, Chidemu Juma, Basha Manyolo, Harry Bonnell, Mathambo Ngakaeaja
XG’AE: Interlocking Building Blocks
During the floods in 2015, many of the homes in D’Kar were damaged or destroyed. Because of this, there is a desire within the community for more durable, cost-effective housing. Buildings made of concrete blocks are expensive—they require a lot of cement to produce, need mortar with a high cement content to hold together, and skilled labour to assemble. We have made a press that makes cost-effective interlocking blocks. These blocks can be assembled into rondavels (traditional round houses) of all shapes and sizes with little to no mortar or skilled labour. This will create comfortable, durable homes that support the health, safety, and well-being of the people of D’Kar.
Team: Jacob Camm, Jennifer Brook, Otsile Kgogwane, Oteng Phillip G., Nkaketsang Ditsheko, Bruce Tushabe, Jamie Noo