How to improve US Aid

Emergent principles related to appropriate technology

Appropriate technology should ideally;

Provide a pathway towards self-sufficiency and independence.

Promote self-reliance, it should be appropriate to local conditions and have the potential to provide meaningful work.

Be sustainable and sensitive to social, cultural, economic and political environments.

Should do no harm and should be sensitive to local environmental effects.

Be cost effective, durable and functional.

Allow opportunities for on-going local innovation and development, using local resources, including human resources.

Interact in a meaningful way with existing social structures.

Promote person to person contact and positive social relationships and be motivational.

May be local and small scale, but have the potential to generate a local model which can be duplicated across a large area.

Have the potential to apply to all situations, in economically developed and underdeveloped areas.