UWIC’s grand designs on strengthening links with Africa 
UWIC’s Technical Demonstrator for the Cardiff School of Art & Design Peter Hathaway, has been awarded the ‘DIY Kenya Commission’; a four-week designer’s residency in Kenya offered by Bloc: Creative Technology Wales and supported by British Council, Wales Arts International and Welsh Assembly Government.
Jetting off in July, he will be based in a homeopathic health centre in Kwale district conducting field research and leading a resident group of medical students in a series of “innovation workshops”.
Peter explained: “I plan to engage the students at Kwale in a collaborative and diplomatic design project; to produce innovative ideas in response to African concerns. I am interested in how design practice can bring about positive change and so I will be employing my Product Design experience to facilitate the students in problem-finding and problem-solving activity that is relevant to their community. However, our aim will not necessarily be to produce a new “product” but rather to deliver the most effective solution, whatever form that may take.”
The final part of Peter’s residency will see him present the design work produced at the workshops at 'Maker Faire Africa’ - a celebration of African ingenuity, innovation and invention.
And it doesn’t end there; Peter has long term plans to establish new collaborative links between CSAD courses and partners in Africa.
“My proposal suggested working in close liaison with, and in representation of, the UWIC African Partnership Initiative (API),” he continued. “With support from the API, I am hoping to sustain the project over a longer period of time, allowing for further development and implementation of the designs, as well as providing opportunities for developing further collaborative projects between UWIC, Bloc, Maker Faire Africa and other African partners.”
Peter has also been offered the option of an extra week in Nairobi to make contact with Kenyan universities to promote the project and nurture existing links.
Peter will be regularly documenting the project via the ‘DIY Kenya’ online blog page. His prior research and progress during and immediately after the residency will be available for all to see at: http://diykenya.wordpress.com/