Five Innovative Products Changing the World

While microfinance is enabling the poor to lift themselves out of poverty, there are so many other needs—such as eye care, information and clean water—that keep individuals from flourishing in the workplace and at home.

For example, on my first trip to India, I entered the slum of a woman weaving bracelets for her living. Over 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the room was like an oven, full of smoke from the fire and kerosene lighting she used. Although she had a loan to expand her business and had been able to increase her profits, she still could not see very well in the room, which hindered her ability to do her work, not to mention the smoke also heightened her family’s health risks.
Today, thanks to some pioneering appropriate technology organizations, low-cost innovations are enabling the financially poor to achieve their full potential. Some of my favorites include…

1. S10 Light—As kerosene lamps release over 24 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air every year, replacing burning kerosene or candles with a solar light is more environmentally friendly, lowering health risks for family and communities, and preventing the risk of household fires—as well as better illuminating spaces so those like the woman in Indian can more efficiently work in their homes. See http://affirmglobal.com/ for more details.
2. Radio Connectors— Studies illustrate that access to information is one of the most vital components to improvement. To spread information more efficiently, ToughStuff Radio Connectors enables individuals to listen to the radio for free, replacing D-cell batteries often used in radios in the developing world. See http://www.toughstuffonline.com/.
3. Mobile Phone Connectors—As much as I sometimes hate the constant access to my work through my Blackberry, in the developing world over 500 million individuals using cells phones cannot charge their phones due to the lack of access to electricity so they spend one-third of their cell phone costs on charging at pay-per-charge-stations. Mobile phone connectors use solar power so that families can charge phones in their homes for free. See http://www.toughstuffonline.com/.
4. Eyeglass Manufacturing Kit—While correcting vision is as easy as getting a new pair of glasses or contacts in the US, eye care is almost nonexistent in the developing world. Optometrists are few and far between (e.g., only one in eight million in the country of Mali), and professionals only treat the wealthiest citizens. By offering an eyeglasses kit that can provide eight different types of reading glasses, AffirmGlobal is providing the opportunity for missions and hospitals, as well as local entrepreneurs, to distribute eye glasses. See http://affirmglobal.com/ for more details.Mobile Water
5. Purification—Up to 700,000 gallons of drinking water (costing less than a penny per gallon) can be supplied by a mobile water purification trailers tank at one time. Eliminating 99.7 percent of viruses and 99.9 percent of bacterial, it costs less than a penny for a gallon for a simple solution that is changing the way people live. At www.wateroneworldsolutions.com.