Case studies - Focus on Technology

...stories from Practical Action's work with communities

Suitable for key stages 2-5 Geography, Citizenship, Design and Technolgy and Science.

These six inspirational stories outline problems faced by local communities in developing countries and the solutions they worked on solving them with the support of Practical Action. Presented as Powerpoints and PDFs, the slides are colour coded in traffic light form:

Red - The problem
Orange - The solution
Green - The effect on people's lives

NB. Powerpoint files are large and will take quite some time to download. PDF files are smaller.

Kenya - solar-powered water pump
Practical Action provided solar-powered water pumps for communities in Kenya, enabling them to have access to clean water close to their homes.
Powerpoint | PDF

Zimbabwe - micro-hydro systems
Working with local people Practical Action helped install a micro-hydro sytem. The community now has a reliable electricity supply providing power to schools and homes.
Powerpoint | PDF

Bangladesh - floating gardens
Flooding makes it impossible for families to grow crops in some areas of Bangladesh. Practical Action showed them how to make a raft so they now have food despite the flooding.
Powerpoint | PDF

Peru - wind turbines
Providing wind turbines in Peru means the communities there can replace candles and kerosene with safe, renewable energy and have the benefit of light in the evening.
Powerpoint | PDF

Sri Lanka - biogas
Practical Action showed households in Sri Lanka how to build biogas systems. They give clean energy for cooking and lighting and the by product can be used to fertise crops.
Powerpoint | PDF

Nepal - smoke hoods
Smoke inhalation causes more deaths than malaria in developing countries. Smoke hoods enable families to live in smokes free homes and gives them a longer life expectancy.
Powerpoint | PDF