Ukeme's Blog

Today, I'm launching the "Towards A Better World" category to collect interesting ideas and initiatives I learn about from friends and co-workers, in books and on the web. I think one of the best things we can do is make sure that information on what can be done is shared so those who are willing and able can make a difference.

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Innovation and Invention
More than a week ago, one of my co-workers at Second Nature told me about some inventors that she had the chance to learn about at a previous job who developed technology for developing nations. These investors were nominated for Lemelson-MIT Awards, which "honor both established and rising inventors for their ingenuity, creativity and contribution to invention and innovation [and] recognize the profound impact that inventors can have on economic and social well-being."

Aviva Presser developed Soccket, a soccer ball that collects energy generated from being kicked around and can be used to power simple direct current (DC) devices such as cell phones and radios. She also adapted microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology to address one of Africa’s most pressing needs—lighting and energy, by powering LEDs with dirt. With her husband, a fellow inventor, Dr. Presser co-founded Bears without Borders, an international NGO that hires local artisans in developing countries to produce stuffed bears and deliver them to chronically ill children and orphans.

Martin Fisher is a Lemelson-MIT award recipient who espouses E.F. Schumacher's concept of appropriate technology, technology at the human scale. His award profile states that in collaboration with co-workers, Dr. Fisher has invented low-cost, human-powered irrigation pumps and other simple moneymaking tools, coupled with a sustainable and replicable supply-chain model that enables subsistence farmers to use the equipment to become self-reliant entrepreneurs.  He currently serves as the CEO of KickStart, a nonprofit that promotes "sustainable economic growth and employment creation" by developing and promoting "technologies that can be used by dynamic entrepreneurs to establish and run profitable small scale enterprises."


Innovation and Education
I recently watched Dave Eggers' presentation at TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design). I first discovered Mr. Eggers when I read "What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng", an account of the early life of one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. I strongly recommend that you watch this video and learn how mixing passion, creativity, and humor can have a positive impact on the lives of young students.



I also recommend that you browse the TED Talks library as well for presentations that could possibly expand your horizons or give you a different perspective on familiar issues.