SEATTLE — As an old saying goes, “necessity is the mother of all invention.” This is certainly true in the developing world, where some populations struggle to secure clean water, free education, sustainable food, healthcare and many other basic rights.
However, global startups have channeled their efforts toward improving these issues using innovative methods and technology. Here are five startups reducing poverty by improving the living conditions and economic resources of the world’s poor.
WeFarm
There are an estimated 500 million smallholder farmers in the world, most of whom live on less than $1 a day. When farm production declines due to climate change, natural disasters or political strife, it is often these small-scale farmers and their families that suffer the most.
WeFarm is a Nigerian startup that empowers small-scale farmers by enabling them to share sustainable agricultural methods and informational resources via SMS, all in the absence of internet.
The ability to ask questions and instantly receive crowd-sourced answers from other farmers around the world makes it possible for families to put food on the table and maintain a reliable source of income, especially in times of environmental or political distress.
UpEnergy
About 783 million people worldwide lack access to clean drinking water. UpEnergy is a Ugandan startup aiming to improve the accessibility of clean water while also educating Ugandans on how to prevent deaths and injuries related to dangerous cooking and lighting methods.
Currently, UpEnergy is working to create and distribute high-efficiency stoves, water purification systems and solar lights to lower the estimated 20,000 Ugandan deaths per year caused by unsafe practices. The company prioritizes locally-sourced materials and grassroots cooperation to empower local artisans while providing life-saving services, making it one of the leading startups reducing poverty on a local-scale.
Seekmi
In developed economies, service providers like mechanics and home cleaners are able to advertise directly to potential clients. The same professions don’t have the luxury of advertising in developing economies.
In Indonesia, where the economy is mainly mobile-driven, Seekmi is an app whose mission is to help service providers grow their businesses despite the obstacles they face as a developing economy. The app uses Seekmi’s marketing tools to advertise local services, so customers are able to find what they need and service providers are able to see exactly which services potential customers are seeking.
Kaskus
Countless American businesses have emerged through websites like Ebay, Craigslist, and Amazon. Kaskus is the Indonesian version that provides the same business services to all of the country’s internet users.
Using Kaskus, artists, inventors and entrepreneurs of all varieties are able to sell their products, thereby sustaining themselves and their families and contributing to the country’s rapidly developing economy. With virtually no competition, Kaskus has nearly 100 percent of market penetration, showing how significant the service is in the everyday lives of Indonesians.
Eco Domum (also known as Eco Home)
The production of plastic goods accounts for about ten percent of waste generated by humans. Eco Domum is a Mexican startup that simultaneously counteracts the burden of plastic production while providing sustainable housing to the country’s poor.
The team takes non-toxic plastics to their plant, where the plastic is cleaned, sorted, and melted down into hardened panels. Each house requires about two tons of plastics, yet costs the peso equivalent of about $273, a reasonable cost for most Mexican families living below the poverty line.
Eco Domum and other startups reducing poverty may also be more successful than government efforts to reduce poverty. Eco Domum homes provide low-cost housing in a more efficient and sustainable way than government housing projects while also relieving the global burden of plastic pollution.
These startups reducing poverty have learned poverty isn’t a one-dimensional issue. It demands a multifaceted approach that draws on different areas of government, business, education and humanitarian aid.
These startups demonstrate how improving one issue within a developing region can have a ripple effect which allows individuals to transcend other limitations associated with poverty.
– Jessica Levitan
Photo: Flickr