Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group

The Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) provided access to environmentally friendly infrastructure in impoverished communities in developing countries through a combination of business incubation, education, and direct outreach. The AIDG's focus is the promotion of affordable and environmentally sound technologies to address gaps in basic services and infrastructure in rural areas of developing countries. The AIDG incubates businesses that provide renewable energy, water, and sanitation technologies to underserved communities, development agencies, and private individuals. The AIDG offers developing world design experience for university students interested in appropriate technology while providing hands-on assistance to rural communities in need.
Target population.
The AIDG aims to increase the use of environmentally sound infrastructure among rural agriculturalists who are currently unserved or underserved by large-grid water, electrical, and sanitation infrastructure. The AIDG aims to provide products and services affordable to populations living on under 2 dollars a day.
Programs.
The AIDG has three primary programs: business incubation, education, and community outreach.
AIDG outreach projects are the basis for the group's TecoTours service-learning program. Through the TecoTours program, groups of volunteers interested in working in developing countries provide a tax-deductible gift to gain hands-on experience working on outreach projects. This program is an opportunity to develop a constant stream of financial support independent of foundation or grant revenue.
Though each program — business incubation, education, and outreach — is described separately, they are integrated to such a degree that none would be able to function alone. For example, the income generated by the TecoTour program supports the incubated workshops, which in turn provide a working space for employees and international volunteers. Community outreach serves to foster local demand for the workshop's products, while concurrently providing training to workshop employees. The incubated businesses provide a functional environment to run the internship and education programs, while the products from the Project Placement Program aid the research and development of products for the workshop.
Business Incubation: Xela Teco.
The AIDG began training at its first micro-manufacturing facility, XelaTeco, in Quetzaltenango (Xela) Guatemala in August 2005. Since then XelaTeco has produced biodigesters, windmills, high-efficiency stoves, pumps, water filters, solar LED lighting systems, and micro-hydro products. It is installing a micro-hydroelectric system to serve Communidad Nueva Alianza, a cooperative of 40 Guatemalan families.
XelaTeco comprises 10 Guatemalan workers, all highly skilled with university and technical school backgrounds, many lacking other viable work opportunities. The team is split between seven men and three women, with the varied skill set necessary for completing a variety of projects, from accounting and civil engineering to electronics and metal casting.