Stakeholders
There are three main stakeholders in this project: the US government (US Africa Command), the people who live in the Horn of Africa, and universities, such as Penn State.
USAFRICOM
The US government has a great interest in the Horn of Africa, because of its close proximity to the Middle East. The Red Sea Canal is a huge asset for the American government, because this is how many goods such as oil are transported from country to country, including out of the Middle East. Currently, U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) is stationed in Djibouti to keep an eye on the area and to partially control the import and export of goods. Djibouti is an ideal location because it is modernized and one of the most stable countries in the Horn of Africa. Also, Djibouti is located directly on the Red Sea Canal.
USAFRICOM will benefit from this project because it will give them a permanent presence in Djibouti, and therefore in the Horn of Africa. By becoming involved in the manufacture of machines to help people in the surrounding countries, USAFRICOM will have a recognized purpose in the area. The manufacture and distribution of this machinery will provide increased infrastructure in Eastern Africa, which is one of the ultimate goals of USAFRICOM. The more infrastructure this region has, the more likely the region is to cooperate with the US government, and therefore the more likely it is that the US government will continue to be able to control imports and exports through the Red Sea Canal.
USAFRICOM will benefit from this project because it will give them a permanent presence in Djibouti, and therefore in the Horn of Africa. By becoming involved in the manufacture of machines to help people in the surrounding countries, USAFRICOM will have a recognized purpose in the area. The manufacture and distribution of this machinery will provide increased infrastructure in Eastern Africa, which is one of the ultimate goals of USAFRICOM. The more infrastructure this region has, the more likely the region is to cooperate with the US government, and therefore the more likely it is that the US government will continue to be able to control imports and exports through the Red Sea Canal.
African People
The program will encourage stability in the Horn of Africa region, by providing people with machinery to make their daily lives easier. The machinery will provide jobs for many African people, which further contributes to building an infrastructure in these countries. With the exception of Djibouti, all the countries in the Horn of Africa are relatively unstable. Most of the governments are constantly changing, which creates unrest in the area.
The machine projects that will be built at the African Innovation Hub of Activity will be sold to people in these countries for economical prices. The projects will not be given out for free, because in most African cultures handouts make people feel like they are not contributing to society and are frowned upon. Once the machines are distributed throughout the countries, they will provide jobs for people in the communities, and also make people’s daily tasks healthier and safer. The creation of jobs, increase of healthy practices, and overall increased ease of life for African people will all contribute to the creation of more infrastructure in the area. Infrastructure will make the region more stable, and help the region to continue to move up in the world economically.
The machine projects that will be built at the African Innovation Hub of Activity will be sold to people in these countries for economical prices. The projects will not be given out for free, because in most African cultures handouts make people feel like they are not contributing to society and are frowned upon. Once the machines are distributed throughout the countries, they will provide jobs for people in the communities, and also make people’s daily tasks healthier and safer. The creation of jobs, increase of healthy practices, and overall increased ease of life for African people will all contribute to the creation of more infrastructure in the area. Infrastructure will make the region more stable, and help the region to continue to move up in the world economically.
Penn State and other Universities
Universities will benefit from involvement in this program because it will give them global exposure and more experience helping other people in other countries. A program similar to a study abroad experience will enable students to live and work at the African Innovation Hub of Activity in Djibouti for an extended period of time (approximately one semester). This will enable students to see what life is like in Africa. It will be a life-changing experience for students, because they will be exposed to poverty-stricken areas, and will be able to see first-hand how machinery that they build is helping people every day. Additionally, engineering students will also gain hands-on experience using common machinery, which will be invaluable as they progress in their college education and careers.
The client hopes to begin this program at Penn State University, because Penn State has well-established global and engineering programs. Penn State also is already involved in many humanitarian efforts that benefit the Eastern African region. These current projects include the Baobab Initiative, the Injera Project, and NutrAfrica. Currently, these projects are being built at Penn State, and then being transported across the ocean to Africa. By collaborating with African Innovation, these programs will be able to build these projects directly in Africa, which will greatly reduce the cost of transportation, and make the programs more sustainable.
The client hopes to begin this program at Penn State University, because Penn State has well-established global and engineering programs. Penn State also is already involved in many humanitarian efforts that benefit the Eastern African region. These current projects include the Baobab Initiative, the Injera Project, and NutrAfrica. Currently, these projects are being built at Penn State, and then being transported across the ocean to Africa. By collaborating with African Innovation, these programs will be able to build these projects directly in Africa, which will greatly reduce the cost of transportation, and make the programs more sustainable.