Africa take notice 'Tinkering Makes Comeback Amid Crisis'

The re-emergence of tinkering and making within the US should be food-for-thought for those within Africa pondering innovation ignition methodologies. The recently held Maker Faire Africa sought to tap into those very important existing undercurrents that exist within our societies. With regard to a developed economy the WSJ reports:

Engineering schools across the country report students are showing an enthusiasm for hands-on work that hasn't been seen in years. Workshops for people to share tools and ideas -- called "hackerspaces" -- are popping up all over the country; there are 124 hackerspaces in the U.S., according to a member-run group that keeps track, up from a handful at the start of last year. SparkFun Electronics Inc., which sells electronic parts to tinkerers, expects sales of about $10 million this year, up from $6 million in 2008. "Make" magazine, with articles on building items such as solar hot tubs and autopilots for robots, has grown from 22,000 subscribers in 2005 to more than 100,000 now. Its annual "Maker Faire" in San Mateo, Calif., attracted 75,000 people this year.

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Photo courtesy of Justin Lahar WSJ