5 Sustainable Inventions Fighting Poverty Around the World

A couple of months ago, we talked about vitamin-rich sweet potatoes and expandable shoes. These inventions have revolutionized rural living in countries like Uganda and inspired many of our readers. Today, we give you a new selection of innovative solutions to prove that changing the world happens one step at a time.

1. A reusable incubatorAccording to Embrace Global, one million babies die within 24 hours of birth each year. Most of the time, the culprit is hypothermia. In the developing world, not all women have access to proper natal care, resulting in pregnancy complications and premature births. Babies come into this world weighing less than they need and into hospitals with limited resources to treat prematurity.

The Embrace Warmer is a reusable and cost-effective incubator that doesn’t require electricity to function. It is designed specifically for hypothermic infants to keep them warm until they reach the necessary weight.

2. Smart, eco-friendly repellents

As the news confirms every day, mosquito-borne diseases are deadly. Malaria, in particular, remains the primary killer, with the World Health Organization reporting 219 million cases in 87 countries in 2018 alone. For pregnant women and children below the age of five, the risk is even higher.

Kite Products is on a mission to eradicate Malaria and other diseases carried by mosquitos, such as dengue fever and chikungunya, through their line of repellants. The products are fueled by entomology, which refers to the scientific study of insects, and are pesticide-free. Through manipulating the smell neurons in biting insects, humans can become invisible to them.

And, what’s more, five bottles are sent to rural communities in Africa for every 20 bottles of Kite Product purchased.

3. Fashionable iodine

In certain parts of India, women are not as trusting of foreign medication. Unfortunately, that often translates to an iodine deficiency, which has been linked to an increase in fibrocystic breast disease and pregnancy complications.

To combat this issue, Talwar Bindi and the Neelvasant Medical Foundation and Research Center merged science with fashion and created the life-saving dot called the Jeevan Bindi. This iodine-releasing patch is meant to be worn just like the traditional bindi, a decorative dot worn by women across India as a symbol of beauty. This way, women can receive their daily iodine dose without having to ingest any medication.

4. Laptops for everyone

Laptops are expensive, but access to technology is necessary to empower children throughout the world. To provide kids with the essentials for dynamic learning, One Laptop Per Child created low-cost and low-power laptops. This way, students are not only more engaged with their education, but also connected to the global community.

The non-profit organization focuses on early education and ensures laptops can sustain tough conditions. At the same time, laptops are gifted directly to the student and are rolled out to entire classrooms or schools to make sure nobody feels left behind.

5. Lucky Iron Fish

Iron deficiency is a common problem around the world, but many can’t afford the stream of supplements needed to remedy it. Lucky Iron Fish has created exactly what its name indicates: an iron fish that releases enough iron to support a whole family for five years.

To kick anemia to the curb, all families need to do is drop the fish into boiling water or liquid-based meals for 10 minutes to give food 6-8mg of absorbable iron. Each time a lucky fish is purchased, a portion of the proceeds go to providing disadvantaged communities with one of their own.

Holidays are right around the corner, so why not make one of these great inventions a gift to your family members or to a community in need?