Child's play powers water pump

Speaking of permaculture, this is a great example of clever design:

"A South African nonprofit that developed a way to use children's merry-go-rounds to power water pumps in rural areas has entered Mozambique and also plans to build the 'Play-Pumps' in Swaziland. Have you seen President Thabo Mbeki on a merry-go-round?

"The Play-Pump, invented by Roundabout Outdoor, uses a very simple method to alleviate the back-breaking chores of hauling water over long distances in rural Africa, where more than 300 million people lack safe drinking water ..."
Global Pulse

Tagged: permaculture, sustainable, sustainability, technology, south+africa, africa, water, development