As part of the MIT D-Lab: Development class, six students traveled to Botswana in January.
Pooja Jethani, '15, one of the students on the trip and the maker of this wonderful video says, "We had the opportunity to stay at the University of Botswana and work with the Department of Water Affairs in Gabarone. We taught the staff how to improve their charcoal burning process and confirmed these improvements using water boil tests. We then stayed in D'kar for a week, spending our nights in both Kuru and at homestays. There, we held Creative Capacity Building trainings at the local church to teach community members in the design process. We ended our journey in Seronga, talking with EcoExist members about their organization and how D-Lab can get involved."
Team members from MIT included Callie McRee, Jorlyn Le Garrec, Justin Carrus, Pooja Jethani, Sally Miller, and Wajeeha Ahmad and trip leaders: Amy Smith and Madeline Hickman.
D-Lab: Development addresses issues of technological improvements at the micro level for developing countries—in particular, how the quality of life of low-income households can be improved by adaptation of low cost and sustainable technologies. Students form project teams to partner with mostly local level organizations in developing countries.