Overview

Buckets to Rain Barrels is a 4th year interdisciplinary course offered by the Sprott School of Business. The course offers students from Business and Industrial Design the opportunity to co-create new products and services with our partner community in Longido, Tanzania. The goal of our class is to expand cultural literacy, foster connections with the Maasai community, and promote innovation. Students work alongside community members in Longido to explore opportunities in areas identified by the community including agriculture, water accessibility, infrastructure, business opportunities, and much more. Donations to the campaign allow students to connect on a regular basis, further past projects, and implement newly developed ideas in Tanzania. Students in this program gain a new appreciation for the everyday life of the community partners and the unique resources available, experiencing daily life including food, cultural practices, and activities.

Students will engage with the Maasai communities in Tanzania to implement and develop various projects aimed at addressing challenges faced in the region. These various projects include:

• Community MakerSpace
• Water Transport Cart
• Basketball Court & Program
• Financial Literacy Learning in Longido
• Charcoal Kiln
• Bakery products (Storage and Logistics)
• Transport logistics
• Implementation of medical vaccines
• Addition of more accessible electricity
• Helping local students with disabilities

Your support is an investment into Carleton students and the Maasai community, giving both parties a unique and enriching experience.

The Background

Our projects in Buckets to Rain Barrels focus on co-creation with community entrepreneurs, educators, and youth in Longido to innovate and implement solutions that support the community and create business opportunities.

Our goal is to foster a long-lasting relationship with our partners that continues the over 10 years of project work to date. We want to create connections founded on the idea of creating positive change both in Longido and here at Carleton. We would like these projects to act as a catalyst for growth across the globe and inspire other communities towards development through innovation.

The Rollout

Your donation supports our students in connecting and working together with their project partners in Longido, Tanzania. Carleton students will work hands-on, meeting virtually throughout their year and travelling to test and develop products and services in the communities they will be implemented. Your support will make this highly experiential learning possible and support for skills development, knowledge sharing, and cultural exchange. The funds will be used for on-the-ground costs including the design, implementation, and execution of industrial design projects on the trip to Tanzania. Prototypes in the form of products, services, digital apps, and 3D models will be produced in Tanzania with the help of the community.

The funds will also contribute to the professional and academic development of students. By participating in this collaborative effort, Carleton students will:

• Be given a networking opportunity to gain knowledge of different lifestyles, cultural views, technological capabilities, and business practices.
• Build skills in:
  • Cross-cultural development through use of an open minded and positive approach to uncertainty.
  • Community engagement in their two weeks working alongside community members.
  • Entrepreneurship through the development and implementation of prototypes and the business opportunities they pose.

The Impact

Your donation to the campaign supports:
Experiencing a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel abroad and collaborate alongside Maasai community members.

• Allow us to begin manufacturing existing tools/products.
• Creating sustainable solutions to real-world challenges for years to come.
• Creating a lasting partnership with the Maasai community.
• Collaboration between students and community members to address target areas, working towards beneficial changes.
• Increase interpersonal communication and team-building skills by collaborating with individuals of a different culture and set of values.