Full Belly Project facts for kids
The Full Belly Project was a special group based in Wilmington, North Carolina. It was a non-profit organization, meaning it didn't aim to make money. Instead, it helped people in developing countries. They designed clever tools that saved a lot of hard work. Jock Brandis started this organization.
Their most famous inventions were the Universal Nut Sheller (UNS) and the Rocker Water Pump. The UNS was first made to shell peanuts. But farmers soon found it could be used for many other crops too! This amazing machine helped people in 35 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It shelled things like coffee, jatropha, neem, and shea nuts. The Full Belly Project also worked on a water pump design starting in 2009. The organization finished its work in December 2020.
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The Universal Nut Sheller: A Big Help
The main goal of the Full Belly Project was to make growing peanuts easier and more profitable. They wanted to help countries grow in a way that could last, using simple, affordable tools. About half a billion people worldwide, especially in Africa, rely on peanuts for their main source of protein.
Why the Universal Nut Sheller Was Needed
For a long time, shelling peanuts by hand was a huge problem. It took a lot of time and hard work. This job was usually done by women and children. They could only shell about 1.5 kilograms of peanuts in an hour. Scientists had been trying to find a better way for years. When Jock Brandis, the project's engineer, talked to Dr. T. Williams, a peanut expert, Dr. Williams called an affordable peanut sheller the "holy grail of sustainable development". This meant it was a very important and difficult problem to solve.
How the Universal Nut Sheller Works
The final design for the Universal Nut Sheller was ready in January 2005. It's a small machine that you operate by hand. It's made from two pieces of concrete and a few metal parts. This simple device can shell 50 kilograms of peanuts in just one hour! That's much faster than shelling by hand.
The materials to build one machine cost less than $50 US. It also lasts for about twenty years and needs almost no repairs. Special molds made of fiberglass can be used to make many more machines.
Different Versions of the Sheller
The Full Belly Project also created other versions of the UNS:
- An "electrical powered sheller" was designed in 2008. This was requested by an orphanage in Haiti. It is also used in Guyana.
- A "pedal powered sheller" was made in 2009 to shell even faster. This version has been sent to the Philippines, Guyana, and Guatemala.
Soap for Hope: Cleanliness and Income
The Full Belly Project also worked on a project called "Soap for Hope" starting in 2013. They teamed up with partners to create a special soap press. This project helps communities reuse millions of pounds of soap that hotels throw away every year.
The soap press allows communities to make new soap from recycled pieces. This helps prevent diseases, promotes better health, and creates income for people in need around the world. The Full Belly Project even developed a "soap press in a box" kit. This kit could be shipped to other countries and put together there. It gave people a chance to start their own small businesses.
Today, the soap press is used in 18 countries. It provides soap to over 41,000 people.
Sharing Technology Around the World
The Full Belly Project worked with other groups to send their helpful technology to places that needed it most. After finishing the design of the Universal Nut Sheller, they sent machines to many countries. These include The Bahamas, Uganda, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Zambia, the Philippines, Haiti, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Guatemala, Tajikistan, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
The Universal Nut Sheller is very versatile. With a few small changes, it can also shell other valuable seeds and nuts. These include winged beans, neem seeds (from neem trees), jatropha curcas, wet and dried coffee, and shea nuts. Many of these crops are grown in developing countries. Machines like the Universal Nut Sheller make these crops more valuable. They quickly improve the lives of people who use these labor-saving tools.
How This Technology Helped Women
This technology was especially helpful for women. It freed them from the hard work of shelling jatropha curcas, shea, coffee, and peanuts by hand. Women often do most of the farm work. With the time saved by these machines, they had more time for other important tasks. Also, the peanut shells can be pressed into fuel briquettes. This means less time is spent collecting firewood, a chore often done by children.
Awards and Recognition
The Full Belly Project and its founder, Jock Brandis, received several awards for their important work:
- MIT Ideas (2006)
- Popular Mechanics Magazine – Breakthrough Award (2006)
- Carolina Challenge – Business Plan
- CNN Heroes – Jock Brandis (2008)
- Tech Awards Laureate (2008)
- Purpose Prize – Jock Brandis (2008)
See also
- Universal Nut Sheller
- Appropriate technology
- Peanut
- Jock Brandis
- Jatropha curcas
