Monday, April 4, 2011

super money maker

i'll admit that i can become a fan of most african tunes. on my first trip to zambia, i developed a keen appreciation for a radio commercial...."hello africa, tell me how you doin!" i love this video, and the idea behind it. what a guy, this mr. ebbo. this could very well be why i'm so excited about this organization and the super money maker. but there's more to the story which is actually very interesting...

kickstart, an organization that works to fight poverty through technology, developed the super money maker, an irrigation pump sold in kenya (and now tanzania) for less than $150, and produced this video as part of its marketing efforts. uniquely kenyan marketing efforts, that's for sure! donor funds are used for product development and marketing, but once the product reaches the "tipping point" of profitability, kickstart pulls out, and allows the supply chain to operate in the private market. the technologies have one goal in mind in the development stage: helping the poor generate income. an interesting model, and a really great video that i'll probably watch at least five more times.

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