AfriGadget

GeekCorps has a story about a Mali radio station that is using wifi to stream video content to TVs run on car batteries in the village of Bourem Inaly in Mali. What is particularly cool about this project is that the wi-fi antennae are all made locally by recycling local materials including cans. The only imported part is the audio/video receiver that is imported from Canada. The radio station currently has 15 subscriptions to the service that make it $45 a month.

For DIYer’s who may want to try this project, here is a copy of the project guide.

You can watch the video on the making of one the antennae here on YouTube

via GeekCorps

Over at kikuyumoja’s realm, JKE makes a water filter using little more than a couple of plastic containers, a ceramic element and loads of ingenuity.

This is an great way to solve the problem of obtaining potable water in places with a plentiful supply of untreated water.

The larger part of Africa’s population do not have access to “processed” fuels like natural gas or modern cooking equipment. This means they are primarily dependent on open wood fires, a method of cooking that it extremely inefficient and harzardous to the environment.

The Kenya Ceramic Jiko (”jiko” is the Swahili word for cooker) solves two problems simulataneouly by addressing the issue of high cost of raw material for making the cooking equipment as well as reducing the amount of biomass required to cook by using available energy more efficiently.

This ingenious application of appropriate technology is composed of a fired ceramic heat containing liner fitted inside a metal housing. This housing is typically made from metal sheeting from discarded packaging - such as the ubiquitous 55 gallon steel drum - that would otherwise have ended up as hazardous waste in the environment. The liner essentially acts as an insulator when burning wood or charcoal containing the heat generated to ensure that it goes to cooking rather than escaping into the environment. This means that the ceramic cooker typically uses between 25 to 40% less fuel than a regular jiko.

You can find more information about this ingenious invention at the following links:

- Daniel Kammen’s Cook stoves for the developing world.
- Equator Initiative’s A burning concern.

Hugh Allen has also published a handbook of making Kenya Ceramic Jikos through the Stylus publishing house.

Bernard took me to see Stephan, an auto mechanic who is a master of fixing things with very few tools or supplies. Stephan is truly amazing, an example of an African who uses his ingenuity to solve problems that would seem insurmountable to others.

One of the things Stephan has done, is figured out a way to rebuild alternators with limited materials. Below are some pictures and a video that discuss how he does it. Supplies needed:

• 17 gauge copper wire
• plastic sheet
• bamboo
• broken alternator

Here’s the video showing how it’s done:

A young man at the Takoradi Technical Institute in Ghana shows us how he makes his own headphones from scratch. (via Instructables)

(via Timbuktu Chronicles and KenyanPundit)

Broadcast Your Podcast (BYP) could allow Africans the ability to broacast their messages on a local FM channel. This technology allows podcasters the ability to reach the millions of listeners that don’t have access to the web. The BYP can broadcast up to 100 meters, is made to be rugged and portable, and takes easy-to-find 9 volt batteries.

Want to make your own? See Adam Hyde’s tutorial.

Make your own drill and sandpaper machine

Instructables holds some very good DIY projects such as the drill and sander machine made from:

(1) motor
(2) wire
(3) switch
(4) 9v battery
(5) a piece of plywood
(6) a piece of PVC pipe
(7) Formica glue
(8) sandpaper
(9) Drill pin
Go here to learn how to make your own sanding and drilling machine

Kikuyumoja shows us how he fixed an old Dell Latitude using a simple cookie tin.  True ingenuity, with an African flavor.  (He first tried with a Tusker bottlecap, but it proved to small)

Check out KikuyuMoja’s realm for the full story.