What we take for granted in this countryflipping on a light switch to illuminate a room or to read a book — still eludes hundreds of millions of families in developing countries who rely on kerosene lanterns for light or who simply do without.
But an entrepreneurial effort to bring those people affordable and reliable electric light, as well as other unique products targeted to sell to, and assist, the poor is being highlighted this month at Colorado State University.
Stephen Katsaros, a Denver inventor who is meeting the challenge of developing products the developing world can afford, is marketing affordable solar-powered lamps. Charged by day, they can burn for four hours at night. Good for five years, the $15 bulbs are meant to be sold at a profit to the 1.2 billion people in the world who live on $2 a day.
Katsaros’ design joins many empowering devices featured among the International Development Design Summit. We wish all of the tinkerers well. The private marketplace often can be more efficient at empowering families than large aid shipments that all too often are appropriated or abused by corrupt governments or interests.
The philosophy reminds us of Denver’s Paul Polak, who first started selling affordable treadle pumps to the world’s poor more than 25 years ago, and who today urges the inventive classes to market to the Third World. As design summit co-sponsor Paul Hudnut puts it: “Treating poor people as customers rather than charity cases offers several advantages.”
Among them: dependable light for a family looking to send its children to school and expand its horizons.
