Large biogas plants in Kenya are expensive and complicated. But you can replicate the principle at home using simple materials—and understand how waste is turned into energy. Step-by-step: Your mini bioreactor Materials: A large plastic bottle (1.5 or 2 liters) with a lid A balloon Organic waste (fruit and vegetable scraps, some grass, a spoonful of cow manure or garden soil)…
The young man standing in front of Maseno High School in western Kenya is barely 17 years old. But Leroy Mwasaru has already achieved something many adults can only dream of: he has come up with a solution that solves two problems at once. The old boarding school, with over 700 students, had a massive renovation problem. The toilets were a stinking…
The app in Bangladesh is a high-tech marvel. But the principle behind it is simple: early warnings save lives. You can do the same—in your neighborhood, your city, your community. You don’t need to program an app; you just need to be observant and communicate. Step by step: Your personal early warning initiative Materials: A notebook or a list…
The floods came quickly, as always. In May 2024, when Cyclone Remal struck Bangladesh, water rose to heights of several meters across large parts of the country within hours. Over 5 million people were affected, and hundreds of thousands lost their homes. But in the midst of the disaster, something unexpected happened: in 19 districts, people were better prepared than ever before. They…
You can try out at home how clay behaves as a building material. You don’t need a 3D printer—your hands are all you need. Step-by-step: Your miniature clay wall Materials: Soil from your garden (preferably loamy, not too sandy) A little water A small bowl for mixing A piece of cardboard or wood as a base A small stone or a weight…
Imagine standing on a red-earth plain near Kibaha, a small town west of Dar es Salaam. The air shimmers in the heat, and before you rises a building that seems to come from another era and yet from the future. Its walls are undulating, full of openings through which…
The desalination technology on Unije is complex, but the principle is simple: solar energy evaporates water, the steam condenses—and what’s left is clean water. You can try this out yourself on a small scale. Step-by-step: Your mini distillation apparatus Materials: A large, flat bowl A drinking glass or a small cup Plastic wrap A small stone or a weight Saltwater (or just plain water…
The island of Unije in Kvarner Bay is a place of tranquility. Eighty-eight people live here year-round, surrounded by clear waters and unspoiled nature. But this peace is deceptive. Every summer, the island is transformed when thousands of tourists arrive—and with them, the same old problem: water becomes scarce. Supplies must be brought in by ship from…
You don’t need to program AI to monitor the health of your plants. Using simple methods, you can learn to spot diseases early—and save your harvest. The principle is the same as in Uganda: look closely, document, and compare. Step-by-step: Your own plant journal Materials: A notebook or spreadsheet A smartphone with a camera Patience…
Ernest Mwebaze was standing in a field in eastern Uganda with a farmer when the farmer asked a question that stayed with him: “Why can’t my phone tell me what’s wrong with my crops?” The idea seemed simple, but it struck at the heart of a problem affecting millions of smallholder farmers in Africa. Pest infestations and plant diseases are devastating…