Wal-Mart as model for Public Works Substations
As many of US based folks know, walking into Wal-Mart allows one meet the many daily needs of life in one centralized location.
Similarly to Wal-Mart, I wonder, could a Public Works Substation allow an Iraqi to gain access to MicroFinance, gain access to knowledge about a small-cost effective windturbine/led light/car battery system, gain access to knowledge about a small-cost effective ceramic water filtration system, gain access to knowledge about generator repair, gain access to a doctor/physician assistant/nurse/pharmacist? Would a working wind turbine at each of these substations provide a visible advertisement of hope to supported neighborhood?
Along those lines I offer some websites that might be of interest.
Muhammad Yunus picked up a Nobel Prize for unconventional thinking in finance.
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What if you could harness the power of the free market to solve the problems of poverty, hunger, and inequality? To some, it sounds impossible. But Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is doing exactly that.
Bill Gates is thinking about Creative Capitalism.
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As I see it, there are two great forces of human nature: self-interest, and caring for others. Capitalism harnesses self-interest in helpful and sustainable ways, but only on behalf of those who can pay. Philanthropy and government aid channel our caring for those who can’t pay, but the resources run out before they meet the need. But to provide rapid improvement for the poor we need a system that draws in innovators and businesses in a far better way than we do today.
UNDP is working on growing Inclusive Markets.
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Growing Inclusive Markets offers a series of global, regional and national reports developed in collaboration with UNDP's global network of Country Offices to provide deep analysis on low-income markets, their inclusiveness and local specificities in terms of business opportunities, market constraints and solution approaches.
The US Department of Energy is thinking about Wind Economic Development.
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This page provides software applications to help individuals, developers, local governments, and utilities make decisions about wind power. The page also lists publications and articles about economic development impacts that accrue from wind projects.
Potters for Peace is thinking about water filtration.
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Since 1998, Potters for Peace has been assisting in the production worldwide of a low-tech, low-cost, colloidal silver-enhanced ceramic water purifier (CWP). Field experience and clinical test results have shown this filter to effectively eliminate approximately 99.88% of most water born disease agents.
Cross contamination is an issue for neighborhoods which have open channel sewers and hack into buried water lines below in order to get water.
