Honestly, Africa is a really specific continent. Of course, we are talking about deeper areas where the terrain is uneven and covered by sand, without normal roads. So if the terrain is different than in other parts of the world , maybe there is a need for different cars? This is the thing that Joel Jackson noticed. He came out with the idea of a durable and affordable car without unnecessary things, generally speaking ‘tailor made’ for Africa. Obviously, because of the need of reducing costs, this car is made there so it gives people a job , an opportunity to progress and help local suppliers. Please watch this short video and tell me:
- What is your opinion about this idea?
- Can it really help people?
- Can you think of other similar projects somewhere in the world?
Bibliography:
https://www.ted.com/talks/joel_jackson_a_vehicle_built_in_africa_for_africa?utm_campaign=tedspread--a&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
Comments
The lack of suppliers and skilled labor, that provides to the lack of manufacturers, is seems like a typical chicken and egg problem:
- manufacturing needs skilled workforce to work properly;
- skilled workforce requires investment in the education system;
- investments are possible from the taxable income...
- ...which could be gained from manufacturing.
But I hope that companies like the one in which Joel Jackson works will break this chain soon, since this is the potential market that will only grow in the future :)
Can giving a job to and unemployed pearson is good? Whats Africas biggest problem is that by promoting "charities" sucha as buy one give one (shoes) we destroyed Africans market - it does not help if we were to fill a wardrobe of every single pearson in africa, to give them all the electronics they would want if they cannot afford to live ... Only thing we did by this is devaluating local products, and making ppl loose jobs. After giving so many shoos to the "needing " ppl how many shoe workshops do you think still operate in there? Craftsmans loose their jobs because we provide "Free" items of "need" without looking at consequences of our actions. So as long as his company stays in africa and employs african ppl its indeed helping to solve problem.
Lada niva 4x4
Simple and cheap, because it was built for almost the same people as in Africa, except they have snow instead of sand and bears instead of tigers. So why reinvent the wheel? In the name of "helping people"? Create some cheap company which will produce these cars on LADA's licence, oh but that would lose all the "majic" required to get fundraisers pay for it... What is "it"? Another car that was created without the actual need, built from prefabs, just to gather attention. Remember AMZ-Kutno Syrena project? "Hurr durr rebirth of polish motor industry!"/"A fresh start for brave investors!". Hah, an empty shell fitted with Opel's chronometers, lights from Fiat and some GM engine. How do you think it would go in this case?
I also don't think we "owe" African people anything, especially "we" as "Poles", cause we didn't have even a single colony in there, so its not our fault that they are where they are now. I won't even start the debate about how other post-colonial countries managed to thrive and successfully rebuild themselves.