Africa | Fast Company

A New Service For Africa Gets Rid Of Pain At The Panel

BY Ben SchillerTue Jan 24, 2012

Much of Africa is lit and powered by polluting and unhealthy kerosene. But plans to leapfrog the country to renewables often come up against the lack of funds to purchase panels. But Eight19 has a model to get solar power into African ... READ»

FAST TALK | Comment

How Biochar Will Help Kenya Go Green And Save Money

BY David D. BursteinWed Jan 4, 2012

Re:char is a pioneering company that sells kilns to farmers in Kenya that allow them to convert their farm waste into what's known as biochar, which can then be used for cooking. CEO Jason Aramburu spoke to us about the emerging area of biochar and a grant that re:char just received from the Gates Foundation to develop a system to transform human waste into biochar.READ»

AFRICA

Mining Africa For Sweet Vintage Tees

BY Ben SchillerWed Nov 23, 2011

Buy your ironic shirt from Repat, and you're wearing some fashion that's been to Africa and back. Double authentic, and helping put girls through school. READ»

AFRICA

A Netflix For Batteries To Get Africa On The Grid

BY Alex GoldmarkTue Nov 15, 2011

Egg-Energy is using battery subscriptions to wire houses, power development, and make it profitable to expand the electric grid. READ»

SOLAR | Comment

Selling Solar Lamps Door-To-Door Powers Africa's Female Entrepreneurs

BY Michael J. CorenWed Jul 27, 2011

Solar Sister gives startup funds--and a $500 "business-in-a-bag"--to door-to-door solar saleswomen, illuminating villages and offering exceptional economic benefits to communities.READ»

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY | Comment

Lighting Africa Illuminates A New Market

BY Nate BergFri Jul 22, 2011

An innovative program aims to light up off-the-grid Africa by boosting supply and demand for portable solar lamps.READ»

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY | Comment

Can Matt Damon Bring Clean Water To Africa?

BY Ellen McgirtFri Jul 22, 2011

The inside story of Matt Damon's bold yet sane plan to use his celebrity and smarts to help attack one of the globe's great crises.READ»

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY | Comment

The New Microfinancing: SMS-Based Layaway To The Rescue

BY Gregory FerensteinMon Jul 18, 2011

KickStart has introduced an innovative layaway program to African farmers so they can invest in low-cost irrigation pumps.READ»

MOBIUS | Comment

The New Stripped-Down SUV That Will Change Transportation In Africa

BY Michael J. CorenMon Jul 18, 2011

Mobius has created an SUV that's strong enough to brave Africa's deteriorating roads, but frills free, to make it more affordable.READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

State Department Is Trying To Make A Thousand Ushahidis Bloom

BY E.B. BoydTue May 3, 2011

Inspired by the rapid-fire response of the tech world to the earthquake in Haiti, the U.S. government is planning to jump-start a venture-capital approach to the field of humanitarian tech.READ»

INFOGRAPHIC

Infographic Video: How To Solve The World's Water Crisis

BY Morgan ClendanielThu Apr 21, 2011

Of all the various crises besetting the developing world, the water crisis may be the hardest for those of us living comfortable lives to comprehend. We are never far from a tap that provides free water or a store where we can buy ... READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

New, Unlikely Startup Frontiers Include Estonia, Kenya, and Ghana

BY David ZaxMon Apr 11, 2011

Garage48, the biggest name in 48-hour hackathons in Estonia, is coming soon to several African countries. READ»

TECHNOLOGY | Comment

Arab Air: How The Middle East Is Rewiring Our Friendly Skies

BY Greg LindsayFri Apr 1, 2011

One new hub of global air travel is in the Middle East.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Gates, USAID, World Bank Invest $50 Million to Save At-Risk Mothers

BY Jenara NerenbergThu Mar 10, 2011

Saving Lives at Birth aims to propel innovation forward to save at-risk pregnant women in remote parts of the world. READ»

TECHNOLOGY | Comment

Ahoy, Matey! South Africa Launches Pirate Satellite Network

BY Jenara NerenbergThu Mar 10, 2011

Pirates, pollution, and shipwrecks will all be monitored under the new Long Range Identification and Tracking system.READ»

INNOVATION | Comment

Text to Change Takes on Child Trafficking

BY Jenara NerenbergWed Mar 9, 2011

The mobile for health industry in Africa continues to expand. "We can teach larger organizations a lot," the group's founder tells us. "We move really fast."READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Women Farmers a Force in Fighting Global Food Shortages: Report

BY Jenara NerenbergTue Mar 8, 2011

Women can help prevent hunger, says the United Nations on International Women's Day.READ»

LEADERSHIP | Comment

Gates Foundation Invests $70 Million to Help Save World's Food Supply

BY Jenara NerenbergMon Feb 28, 2011

A wheat killer is on the move from Africa to Australia. The Gates Foundation wants to stop it from wreaking havoc on the world.READ»

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY | Comment

BRIC Countries Compete for Africa's Assets

BY Jenara NerenbergWed Feb 23, 2011

China and Brazil are in competition--and local buy-in will decide which country wins long-term alliance in the continent.READ»

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY | Comment

Food and Energy Security Go Hand in Hand, Says UN Agency

BY Jenara NerenbergFri Feb 18, 2011

Growing energy-producing crops will help farmers save money, create safer cooking fuel, and help them adapt to climate change, says a new report from the UN.READ»