Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Building a “Freedom Kit” for the Emerging Poor
I’m spitballing an idea here that I’d like to run past members for input. The concept is a “Freedom Kit” to be sold — likely, at a subsidy — to people emerging from poverty who want to take part in the modern world and gain some creature comforts and safety.
The objective should be to give a family maximum improvement in quality of life and future prospects in a portable package at a low cost (which I’m arbitrarily capping at $1,000 US). I’m excluding firearms, as that would — I imagine — be legally difficult. Assume further that customers have shelter, live in the tropics, and lack reliable energy. All products should be new.
So, within these limitations, what should go into such a kit? Here’s my first draft:
Contents of a Proposed “Freedom Kit”:
- Goal Zero Yeti 150 & Nomad 20 Solar kit and a universal AC adapter (total: $436). Provides functional — if limited — access to electrical energy with some storage capacity for night time use and/or days without much sun. The Yeti has multiple outputs, including USB, 12v, and — most importantly — an AC inverter, meaning you can plug any household electronic device into it.
- A pair of Goal Zero LED lights ($80) for nighttime illumination; a little pricey, but Goal Zero makes good stuff and these can both be powered off the Yeti.
- Lenovo Tab 2 tablet ($185) This is a well-reviewed, inexpensive tablet with an impressive battery life. Let’s pre-load it with a lot of free eBooks.
- Mosquito nets ($100): I don’t know much about the subject, but popular, well-reviewed models on Amazon typically run for less than $20. Let’s include five.
- A pump water microfilter, 5-gallon storage bottle, UV sterilizer pen, with a battery charger for the latter ($195). This ensures access to safe drinking water under almost all circumstances.
Total Cost: $996, giving people power, lighting, computing, mosquito protection, and access to clean water.
Of course, this leaves a great many matters unaddressed, including:
- A clean, indoor-safe stove (I believe the Yeti is poorly suited to powering an electrical stove, and I don’t think it’s possible to get enough gas/propane into a portable package to work).
- First aid and hygiene.
- Clothes washing.
Thoughts, Ricochet? What else am I missing? Did I put too much funds into electronics? Has someone beat me to the idea?
Published in Culture, General
Interesting. The difference between this and the Freedom Kit is that the latter is intended for use in non-emergency situations, whereas the Shelterbox is intended for refugees.
Still, very interesting.
On thinking about it more, you’re absolutely correct.
Should we re-engineer the kit with this in mind? There’s a lot more we could add…
This ^
More than anything else people need the ability to earn a living – which in turn gives them the freedom to buy what they know they need rather than take what we assume they need.
A hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line.
Some kind of stove is absolutely essential. There’s some disgusting non-zero number of people who die annually from lung ailments caused by indoor cooking fires.
Switch the Tablet with a cheap but durable smartphone with a military spec case. Cell Phones are one of the greatest inventions that is helping rural farmers get access to market pricing and coordinate sales. They regularly get text updates on the current whole sale spot market price on commodities they sell even if they have to travel quite a ways to get to the one spot that has cell phone coverage. From what I have read this has really curtailed exploitation by middle men and more importantly lets them adjust what they grow and better sever the local market.
So once you have sound property ownership laws, transportation and communication are the second and third most important goods for increasing economic prosperity of rural people (assuming the people live in a relative safe society).
Pardon these slightly off-topic hypothetical questions for Tom Meyer,anonymous,and anyone out there with engineering or solar power knowledge(of which I have none): 1. If you were in a situation with no electricity and no sunlight,would it be practical to use two or three gravity lights for light sources,while simultaneously using the gravity lights to charge the Yeti for other uses, or would this be a waste? 2. Could a larger version of a gravity light be developed to power an entire home,or is this impractical?
I’d need to look at the numbers, but I think you’ll find that the amount of energy both generated and consumed by GravityLights is shockingly small; you’re never going to get much more out of it than an LED, and only that for 20 minutes per pull.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_storage#Mechanical_storage