Kickstart Technologies: irrigation, and cooking oil human-powered pumps

I met the managers of Kickstart technology at the recent TED Global conference in Arusha, Tanzania. Kickstart’s patented technology bridges the gap between expensive industrialize equipment used to pump, squeeze or pack and all it’s products are human powered. This is a very important feature in Africa for the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) market, because it solves the issue of energy and cost for equipment used in agriculture, and construction.

Kickstart’s most popular product is an irrigation pump that uses the stepping motion you see in a work-out gym to move water hundreds of feet to irrigate land. Kickstart also has been able to sell several thousands of these products all across Africa, and has been approach by the United Nations to sell globally.

Below is the irrigation pump

Kickstart pressing pump for building construction

Below you can see a picture of a person squeezing seeds to make oil

Here is a little more about Kickstart from the organization’s website.

About KickStart

KickStart’s mission is to help millions of people out of poverty. We promote sustainable economic growth and employment creation in Kenya and other countries by developing and promoting technologies that can be used by dynamic entrepreneurs to establish and run profitable small scale enterprises.

Go to the organization website

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7 comments for this post.

Comment from Exercising "for" Food… « Eclexia:
26 July 2007 - 4:03 am - :

[...] enjoy reading the website, Afrigadget. This morning I received an update on the pressure irrigation pump above, made by [...]

Comment from Erik
26 July 2007 - 10:31 am - :

Kickstart is a brilliant organization. Martin’s whole purpose is not to just create neat tools, but to create ways for businesses to grow and for people to make money. Wealth creation, at the end of the day, is what will take Africa forward – especially if it comes from within.

Comment from munnumorrish
17 September 2007 - 12:44 am - :

Firstly I woud like to appreciate the work they have been doing this lots of goodies and if possible I have a friend (me and hime) we have the knowlege of making lighting candles and with lots of the machine you make can be very useful to us in our struggle.
Can you make this happen and we continue with the idea.Its just amatter or making amould with candle shapes and that it all.appreciated if that can be done.

We also make liquid soap and the candles as I had mentioned earliar.

Thanks

Comment from Nubian Cheetah: 2007-07
27 October 2007 - 2:30 am - :

[...] Kickstart’s most popular product is an irrigation pump that uses the stepping motion you see in a work-out gym to move water hundreds of feet to irrigate land. Kickstart also has been able to sell several thousands of these products all across Africa, and has been approach by the United Nations to sell globally.Read more here: [...]

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Comment from Albertson David
3 December 2007 - 10:52 pm - :

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Comment from Can You cook It?
18 December 2007 - 6:09 am - :

Kickstart appears to be a wonderful organization that has seemingly solved several problems in order to help out those less fortunate.

Comment from Cooking Oil Pump - Dogpile Web Search
13 January 2008 - 6:14 pm - :

[...] Oil Pump … http://www.turkey-frying.com/38084_hot_oil_pump.htm [Found on Yahoo! Search] 57. Kickstart Technologies: irrigation, and cooking oil human-powered pumps AfriGadg… Kickstart Technologies: irrigation, and cooking oil human-powered pumps. By Nii … expensive [...]

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