Appropriate Technology: The Hippo Water Roller
Images of women carrying giant buckets on their heads have been used as a universal symbol of poverty and need -- so much so, perhaps, that sometimes we forget about the reality behind those images. In fact, millions of women and children worldwide must wake up before dawn and walk for miles -- often for hours -- to carry a five-gallon bucket of water back to their families for a day's use. Aside from wasting valuable time that could be spent more productively cultivating food in the garden or working for a wage, the need to carry these cumbersome buckets causes serious health problems.
The Hippo Water Roller (http://www.hipporoller.org/) is a device that resembles a hand-operated lawn mower. It holds 90 liters of water in a polyurethane barrel attached to a handle-bar. Water collectors fill the barrel, and then simply push the Hippo roller along the ground, saving time and alleviating head, neck and back injuries. The roller was developed in Africa about 10 years ago -- inventor unknown -- and is now sold online and in the developing world for around $60.
The price is prohibitive for some families, and there is currently no official program to distribute the devices charitably. Although there is a franchise program in place to help set-up complete manufacturing plants.
The Hippo Water Roller (http://www.hipporoller.org/) is a device that resembles a hand-operated lawn mower. It holds 90 liters of water in a polyurethane barrel attached to a handle-bar. Water collectors fill the barrel, and then simply push the Hippo roller along the ground, saving time and alleviating head, neck and back injuries. The roller was developed in Africa about 10 years ago -- inventor unknown -- and is now sold online and in the developing world for around $60.
The price is prohibitive for some families, and there is currently no official program to distribute the devices charitably. Although there is a franchise program in place to help set-up complete manufacturing plants.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
