Note:
Africa is
currently the fastest growing cell phone market in the world so we are
convinced that the main media of our design solution is the cell phone.
“Helping
Hand” is based on two complementary systems.
Firstly,
there is the information system which guides, advises and leads families
affected by malnutrition to the development of their own food plot. By
gathering traditional methods of cultivation close to villagers and setting up
an educational and scientific database, this enhances their ancestral know-how
regarding cultivation.
In order
to set up this database, two actors exchange information through a rich secured
web application:
- The
teacher, which is the village educationalist, suggests new information (text,
commentaries and photos) regarding kinds of plants that can be cultivated for
consumption. He uses a netbook and a competitive cell phone that are provided
in a “teacher kit” to send it.
- Local
(country scale) food industry and scientific institutes receive this
information. Before approval, they can edit and geolocate it.
This
constant exchange provides really relevant information as it is approved
culturally, locally and scientifically. Local people remain the actors of their
own development.
Once the
database is operational, the teacher gives “family kits” to the families and
geolocate them. These kits contain a cell phone with built-in software and
credit to buy plants. It enables families to start up their own food plot. This
system displays contextual information such as weather, plantation progress,
geolocate advice and alert messages to keep families informed all the time and
have a good yield.
Secondly,
there is the communication system which unites families to all local and
international actors fighting for the same cause: it aims to create a community
based on dialog and sharing.
This
communication system is a website where visitors can make donations in order to
fund part of the kits.