(Ruslan Sitarchuk / Shutterstock.com)
When bicycle meets machine, sparks fly. Introducing Bici-Tec, the social enterprise that merges bikes with technology to aid rural development in Guatemala and around the world. The brainchild of Carlos Marroquin, Bici-Tec has created innovations such as water pumps, corn degrainers and coffee pulp removers, which replace time-consuming, manual tasks. As a result, farmers can produce more and save time, using machinery that is clean and green.
Looking to branch out and share this knowledge, Marroquin recently founded the School of Appropriate Bici-Technology that teaches the ins and outs of bicycle machinery. His six-week course invites local Guatemalans and folks from abroad to learn the practical and theoretical aspects of building machines from bikes, including full access to Bici-Tec’s own bicycle repair shop.
This new wave of pedal-powered technology is a green and cost-effective way to give a boost to rural communities - hopefully we will be seeing even more bicycle machines in years to come.
See the bicycle machines in action, here:
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