INSTANT (SELF)EMPLOYMENT, BETTER PUBLIC HEALTH & INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN CHALLENGING PARTS OF AFRICA
WE KNOW HOW TO FIGHT POVERTY, ACTIVATE RESOURCES OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, REDUCE MIGRATION RISK
We are a super-efficient social innovation programme in real world fight against poverty. We do a post-research spin-off: we build simple concrete floors in rural and slum schools and family houses. It brings to life impressive SDG output in public health, self-employment and inclusive education. We started with an academic SDG3 research. Now we master also in SDG8, SDG4 & SDG1 in Africa. We also create emplotyment opportunities for people experiencing exclusions in Europe, incl. disabled and graduates to let them work with data related to each Floor4Africa implementation.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS?
PEOPLE CAN REALLY WAIT FOR NEW SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND FAMILY HOUSES IN MANY PARTS OF AFRICA. WE CAN'T CHANGE IT. BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING WE KNOW WELL AS VERY EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS. WHAT YOU SEE IS A DIRT FLOOR. 500 MILLION PEOPLE CAN LIVE AND LEARN ON SUCH A FLOOR IN RURAL AND URBAN-SLUM AFRICA NOW, IN 21st CENTURY - THE AGE OF ADVANCED TECH AND AI
DO YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO USE TO KEEP IT USABLE?
BEFORE THEY GET NEW SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND FAMILY HOUSES THEY HAVE TO FACE THIS KIND OF REALITY. IN THE BEST OPTION SUCH A FLOOR CAN BE RINSED OVER WITH A RAIN WATER TO CREATE MUD AND TO LET IT DRY
DO YOU KNOW WHAT LIVES IN A FLOOR THAT CAN'T BE CLEANED WELL?
EVERYTHING! WE IDENTIFIED NOT ONLY E.COLI BACTERIA AND COVID VIRUS BUT ALSO SOIL-TRANSMITTED NTDs, VERY AGRESSIVE JIGGERS AND EVEN BED BUGS
DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO TO CHANGE IT AT LAST?
PEOPLE DISAPPOINTED WITH WAITING USUALLY HAVE NO MONEY TO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS OR FAMILY HOUSES. BUT USUALLY THEY ARE ABLE TO USE GOOD CEMENT, EASILY AVAILABLE STONES, SIMPLE SAND AND WATER TO BUILD AFFORDABLE BUT DURABLE CENCRETE FLOORS PEOPLE CAN CLEAN WELL AT LEAST. WE WORKED OUT EASILY SCALLABLE STANDARD WE CALL "STAN FLOOR C16/20"
DO YOU KNOW HOW IT ALSO HELPS?
IT GIVES TO PEOPLE A CHANCE NOT TO MIGRATE TO URBAN AREAS. DO YOU KNOW THAT ONE BILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIVING IN URBAN SLUMS? IT'S A BIG HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. WE CAN'T CHANGE IT BUT SUCH AN EASILY SCALABLE PROGRAMME CAN REDUCE POVERTY. IT HAPPENS THANKS TO INSTANT WORK OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED TO LOCAL SUPPLY CHAIN AND TO LOCAL CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
AND CAN YOU IMAGINE WE EVEN DEAL WITH PERIOD POVERTY FOR SDG4?
YES, THIS PROGRAMME IS SO SIMPLE TO SCALE AND SO UNIVERSAL TO IMPLEMENT IN RURAL AND SLUM AREAS THAT WE EVEN HELP GIRLS IN AFRICA TO ATTEND SCHOOL ALL MONTH ROUND. AND... WE CHARGE NOTHING FOR ANYTHING WE DO
EXAMPLE: BEFORE (with dirt floor) & AFTER (with cleanable floor) AT SCHOOL IN AJEGUNLE SLUM, NIGERIA
EXAMPLE: SAFE PASSAGE TO AND FROM SCHOOL IN KIBERA SLUM, KENYA
The most common images of rural Africa, literally connected to the Earth, need an extra step towards modernity, without changing its cultural functions. Providing concrete floors to the African rondavels significantly improves health and safety of families and local communities. Therefore, our mission is totally non-profit. We can't build new schools, hospitals or family houses. But we can make waiting productive...
1. WE FACILITATE EXISTING URBAN-SLUM AND RURAL SCHOOLS AND FAMILY HOUSES IN AFRICA WITH A SIMPLE AND VERY EASY TO CLEAN CONCRETE FLOORS. THANKS TO SUCH A SMART SOLUTION LIVING AND LEARNING CONDITIONS IMPROVE A LOT [SDG4]
2. WE LET LOCAL CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND SOLE-TRADERS WORK AND LIVE WITHOUT A NEED OF MIGRATING TO OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD. BOOSTING SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND PROVIDING CRISIS RESPONSE JOBS IS OUR MISSION TOO [SDG8]
3. WE REDUCE THE PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES LIKE SOIL-TRANSMITTED NTDs, INSECTS, DUST- OR MUD-BASED TRANSMISSION OF DISEASES AT HOME AND SCHOOL, THAT MAKE LOCAL COMMUNITIES MUCH STRONGER AND ACTIVATES ACHIEVABLE HOPES [SDG3]
Not more than $10/sqm is enough to change the quality of living and learning in an average African village or urban slum. Such a change is longlasting, because local communities build with us concrete floors with durability of up to 20 years. Up to 500 million people experience lack of cleanable floor in Africa. Can you imagine what would happen if you wouldn't be able to clean your home or school well? We know it. SDG1 gets working solution now.