This website is targeted to assist a very special kind of person who exists in the majority of those countries generally described as developing, but are not all countries still developing? He/she are special because, without the assistance of the state, and indeed sometimes against the wishes of the state they have sufficient entrepreneurial spirit to become self-employed in small businesses. They do this with the minimum capital, often helped by family and friends, as no banks will give them loans when starting out.
They are highly skilled in the use of very limited amounts of capital and manage to keep their families and children clothed and fed by working all hours, unlike the civil servant and council employees, who come to claim their ‘fees’ for allowing them to operate. Many states now recognize the part they play in national development but, despite efforts, fail to give them the most suitable form of assistance to advance and generate more wealth and employment. The title of this site juakali is made from two Kiswahili words, the linga franca, spoken widely in East Africa. The direct translation of the words is ‘hot sun’ but the meaning refers to a very large number of hardworking and innovative entrepreneurs whose energies for development are only now being recognised by governments. The words hot sun indicates that they work in the open air for lack of any building. Many, but not all, now work in buildings.
The main problem they face is ‘What new products can I make which will sell?’ and the products shown on the site are innovative and of simple construction requiring modest workshop facilities and raw materials likely to be found in local hardware shops.
Readers of the site are likely to be interested in Conservation in all its aspects and the photographs and description of the pros and cons of the products is intended to take that to the next stage. If their interest continues or intensifies and they wish to obtain an example they can find manufacturing details including drawings for that product.
Downloading the simple drawings and information, deliberately done in b/w to keep the printing cost down, they will be able to take them to an artisan and have him/her make a sample for evaluation.
These means of information dissemination supercedes former systems of costly printed manuals whose distribution seldom reaches the potential maker or user.
It is hope that many readers/viewers will send a feedback of their experiences favourable or not and, if useful, any modifications/improvements you have made please send them to be added to the site with acknowledgment given to you or your organization.
None of the items shown here has any form of Intellectual Property Rights sought or granted as it is all in the public domain and intended to be freely copied and used to the betterment of mankind. |
|
|
Open Source Technology is a term borrowed from the world of computer programming. It means that the original idea/design/development work on a tool or product is made public for others to develop further. The developments/improvements are then fed back into the system for others to benefit from. At each stage of development credit for the work is retained by each of the developers.
Any improvements in design must be tested and demonstrated by empirical evidence and data, then peer reviewed before acknowledgement will be given.
Anyone may leave a comment at the end of any article, and download any plans that are associated with the article. In time there will be a forum for further discussions.
|
|
|
