Somali Famine, 2011

1. Somali Famine, 2011 Somalis were forced out of their small, poor towns, onto battered dirt roads, the sun pounding down on them with an unimaginable fury. A famine has struck, and they are left with little or no food and water. They don’t even have shelter from the sun. 300+ children have been left for deadon this perilous trek to the nearest, overcrowded refugee camp.

2. The Somali walk down long roads, with no transport. They are left to their own meager devices. It is especially hard for parents, because they may not be able to carry their young children, who are often are malnourished and unable to walk. Sometimes, they have to leave their children on the roadside. They often have to choose which child will live, which will die.

3. "[Somalia] is not the last famine in Africa. More famines should be expected in Africa in the coming years." And some will be far worse than the current one in East Africa, bringing with it increased starvation and higher mortality rates, especially among children and the elderly."  -- Joseph Chamie, former director of the U.N. Population Division. We need to be ready to respond, to help people finish their trek to the nearest camp, where they will be provided with food and water.

4. We need INNOVATIVE new ways for the refugees to survive the trek, as well as save all the helpless, weak children from being left for dead. They need our help.

5. Goals Inexpensive ($10-$30) Durable Lightweight (no more than 15 lbs) Simple All terrain capabilities Viable for use as bed Simple and obvious construction Hands-free harness Non-back/front harness

6. Simple travois • Light aluminum frame in triangle. Simple bed made of fabric from parachute. Black dotted line with depiction of hand with knife cutting fabric on parachute. Kit comes with knife to cut with. Simple picture instructions on how to use fabric to make bed. • Baby carriage sun cover structure for bed. Similar structure cover for person pulling it. • Wheels at two bottom vertices. • PET Water bottle (1 liter) for holding and secondary purification. Store bottles on sides of bed.

7. Materials • Parachute fabric • 1.5 by 1 by 8ft white board • 1.5 by 1 by 4.5 white board • 1 inch diameter aluminum bar • 8 inch diameter wheels, fit to go on axle • Inch long bolt • wing nut that fits on bolt • 1.5 by 2 by 6 white board • Four bolts, 4 inches long • Four wing nuts that fit on 4 inch bolts • Padded belt, four inches wide

8. The build I designed a number of options, and found this particular option the most practical. Its wheels can be unscrewed for transport and maintenance. It has a bed over four feet long, an a reinforced dado joint. An optional sun cover can be added to shield the bearer and passenger from the sun. It is a little over six feet long, with eight foot long poles. The net is velcroed to a beam, which is bolted on above the axle, so it stays taut.

9. Belt I decided to use a belt because relief agencies advised me that African women commonly carry children in large, cloth slings. The belt, unlike a backpack frame or other device does not inhibit this.

10. Pros • Durable • Dual shading • Can transport supplies (over sized (Not entirely fitting on device) ones as well as normal) easily • Simple • Sunny water storage area. (Aids the speed of water purification) • Less stable • efficient in materials usage (It finds a use for the parachute.) • Frees up hands • Simple • Hands-free harness • Non-back/front harness

11. Pros Simple Reusable Collapsible Cleanable All terrain Durable Frees up hands Cons Moving parts Low load size No food or water storage Pros and cons