Essential interplay between technology and culture

A person's culture, as defined in this paper, must be respected before embarking on mass roll-outs of a new innovation. Failures are cited with smokeless stoves as a typical example, where this was not done during the 1970s. Since then better results were achieved with 'Basa njengo Magogo's top-down method of lighting a coal/wood fire. It was tested in close co-operation with the inventor from the community. The final success story discussed depicts a patented PV solar, 12V DC battery-less, sewing machine development, retaining the 10-times faster advantage above hand or treadle sewing machines, even in rural areas without electricity. The world's first solar sewing station, earning money for unemployed housewives was developed at Kliprand