This semester I am taking an advanced studio called “out of gas.” In this studio we as designers and engineers got together to build and design an alternative vehicle for people who could not afford vehicles that are highly priced. During research in the first phase of the project, I had come across in learning about how people in Kisumu, Kenya use bikes to make money. They have something called the “boda-boda” which basically is a bike with a seat on the back and is used as a taxi. As I researched deeper I came across http://www.worldbike.org/about-us. This is an organization that “provide transportation solutions and create income-generating opportunities for the world’s poor.”
After a few weeks, now, I have come across this link again as I write my blog entry. I have not attended to the “Better World by Design” conference however as I saw Ross Evans on the website of the “Better World by Design” it captured my attention because it was something familiar.
Unlike recreational bikes that we use in the US, these bikes are stronger and more effective in assisting the user in his/her business. It is shocking how we buy a bike for recreational use but they buy a bike so that they can survive. I think it is a wonderful solution to come up with in curing poverty around the world. I like the idea how this organization creates opportunities for people to earn money but not just give out help for free like many organization do. I think this creates social order and motivation for the people to survive.
Right now in our studio we are integrating the concept of the world bike to our project. We are creating something modular, inexpensive, and eco-friendly to aid commuters in providence who could not afford a vehicle. Going further as a group, we are also seeking the opportunity in taking this same vehicle and introducing it to third world countries with some modifications.
Web Source: http://www.worldbike.org/
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