06 Aug 2015

D’kar is hosting a two week long International Development Design Summit (IDDS). 

Thirteen countries have confirmed their participation.

In an Interview recently, Amy Smith, the co-lead instructor said IDDS is part of the movement that seeks to redefine the way development is practiced and to work with people to become active creators of technologies rather than passive recipients of technologies.

“With the summit, we want everyone to come together in co-creation. 

The design process that we use provides a framework for creative problem solving,’’ she said.

Ms Smith said through IDDS the participants will become part of a global network of innovators with the potential to make great changes in the world. 

She said the participants will not only connect with the participants and organizers of the event, but through the work of the newly formed International Development Innovation Network they will be able to connect with the participants from all the summits that have come before this one.

She said this network will also allow the participants and the organizers to engage with one another and provide support as they continue with their work.

She encouraged participants to take advantage of the many opportunities that they will find at IDDS and work together in order to design innovative technologies.

The lead organizer of IDDS D’Kar Thabiso Mashaba said International Development Design Summits  were hands on design experiences that bring together people from all walks of life to co-create low- cost, practical innovation to improve the lives of people living in poverty and fill any other available gaps in the communities.

He said the past summits have come up with projects which were running citing IDDS Tanzania 2014 which came up with the Avocado Oil Press where participants and community members designed avocado presses and dryers to produce valuable oil for cooking and cosmetics. Ends