I also think that 'ideas' are far more helpful than gimmicky and trendy consumer products, assuming we really want to help people. DIY and smaller scale industries are more sustainable also, because it is more local, and more diverse, and tends to distribute wealth more evenly, throughout society and around the globe. I'm putting this out there as a philosophical argument more than a political one. Economics and Engineering for the simpler lifestyles won't as likely make you rich, but it does tend to be alot more interesting, in my opinion.
I agree about ideas and DIY. Having first hand experience with third world missions, "teach a man to fish" makes more sense than giving him one. 23 years ago one of our group taught 4 people how to make a loom and spin/weave wool on a large scale. Today that little village is a carpet and rug center with automated equipment.
Our well drilling efforts have proven similar. The experiment happened in one small village that had no clean water it's entire history. 1.5" threaded steel pipe was available, as was rope. A simple valved bit was made from an 8" piece of pipe, some car leaf spring (cut with a hack saw!)for the cutter head, a bolt, all welded with oxy-acetylene. A tripod was made from wood poles. Using the "cable drop" method, 5 guys punched through to clean water after half a day of drilling.
$200 buys the materials and we know of 200+ such wells having been drilled since.
http://www.heartforethiopia.org/development.htmlThese people know how to make smokeless fires. The "chiminea" is an example (i have one).
JAK, Rocket Stoves are an excellent example of simple tech and those can be found all over third world countries....even made from mud brick! Bio-gas generators are starting to pop up too, powering serious electrical generators, not cell phone chargers. Lately, someone figured out how to fill a plastic pop bottle with water, stick it in a hole in the roof, and light the home interior, for free, as long as there ambient light outside.
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