Presently curated and organized by Emeka Okafor, Henry Barnor and Jennifer Wolfe, Maker Faire Africa is an
international organization
An international organization, also known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is an organization that is established by a treaty or other type of instrument governed by international law and possesses its own le ...
co-founded by Mark Grimes (Felonious Nun) Emeka Okafor (TED Africa), Lars Hasselblad Torres (IDEAS Global Challenge),
Erik Hersman
Erik Hersman (born 1975) is a technologist, blogger and commentator who specialises in the impact and application of technology throughout Africa. Raised in Sudan and Kenya, he is a graduate of Kenya's Rift Valley Academy and Florida State Unive ...
(Afrigadget) and Nii Simmonds (Nubian Cheetah). Maker Faire Africa aims to engage with on-the-ground breakthrough organizations and individual makers to sharpen focus on locally generated, bottom-up prototypes of technologies that solve immediate challenges to development.
Overview
The aim of a Maker Faire Africa is to create a space on the African continent where Afrigadget-type innovations, inventions and initiatives can be sought, identified, brought to life, supported, amplified and propagated. At the same time, ''Maker Faire Africa'' would seek to imbue creative types in science and technology with an appreciation of fabrication and by default manufacturing.
The first Maker Faire Africa was in
Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
in 2009. The second phase was held in
Nairobi
Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...
,
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
in 2010, the third in Cairo in 2011, the fourth in
Lagos
Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
, the fifth abroad (Istanbul, Milan, New York City) and the sixth in
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
.
References
Images
File:Innovative traffic-light.jpg, Innovative traffic-light, Nairobi, 2010
File:Maker Faire Africa in Nairobi.jpg, Maker Faire Africa, Nairobi, 2010
File:Sisal Twinner Machine.jpg, Sisal Twinner Machine, Nairobi, August 2010
Image:2011 Cairo MakerFaireAfrica 6219569246.jpg, Cairo, October 2011
Image:2011 Cairo MakerFaireAfrica 6223961341.jpg, Cairo, 2011
Further reading
* Ariel Schwartz.
Creative Gadgets Dominate Maker Faire Africa" Fast Company, Aug 27, 2010
External links
*
*{{usurped,
Makerfaireafrica Blog}
AfrigadgetNed.com
* Flickr
Maker Faire Africa 2010
* Flickr
Maker Faire Africa 2010 -Nairobi
* Flickr
Cairo, Maker Faire Africa Day 3, Oct-2011
See also
* Creative problem solving
Creative problem-solving (CPS) is the mental process of searching for an original and previously unknown solution to a problem. To qualify, the solution must be novel and reached independently. The creative problem-solving process was originally d ...
* Theories of technology
Theories of technological change and innovation attempt to explain the factors that shape technological innovation as well as the impact of technology on society and culture. Some of the most contemporary theories of technological change reject ...
* Ecoinnovation
* Information revolution
The Information Age is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by a rapid shift from traditional industries, as established during the Industrial Revolution, to an economy centered on information technology. ...
* Invention
An invention is a unique or novelty (patent), novel machine, device, Method_(patent), method, composition, idea, or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It m ...
* Knowledge economy
The knowledge economy, or knowledge-based economy, is an economic system in which the production of goods and services is based principally on knowledge-intensive activities that contribute to advancement in technical and scientific innovation. ...
* Open Innovation
Open innovation is a term used to promote an Information Age mindset toward innovation that runs counter to the secrecy and silo mentality of traditional corporate research labs. The benefits and driving forces behind increased openness have b ...
International organizations based in Africa
Recurring events established in 2009
Appropriate technology organizations
Scientific organizations based in Africa
International economic organizations