A world that works better for
everyone is anything but normal
The worldwide coronavirus crisis has
emphatically proven that the systems that
underpin human society are at best fragile,
or at worst fundamentally unfit for purpose.
Around the world, food supply chains have
broken down, health services have been
overwhelmed and millions of jobs have been
lost. Increasingly, people are questioning
whether a return to ‘normal’ will ever be
possible, but maybe we should be asking:
“can we do better than normal?”
The answer is ‘yes’, according to
international development group Practical
Action. Founded by radical economist and
philosopher E.F. ‘Fritz’ Schumacher, author of
‘Small is Beautiful’, the group has challenged
accepted thinking for more than 50 years. They
have a remarkable track record of helping
people reimagine normal and reshape the
systems their lives are built on.
In drought stricken Sudan, it’s not industrial
agriculture or big business that’s helping
farmers secure the food supply chain and
re-green the desert. It’s Practical Action’s clever
combination of business and farming knowledge
transfer, solar-powered irrigation, better seeds
and a whole lot of shared effort. Farmers have
been able to turn the tables on climate change
and turn barren land into lush fields and forests- and quadruple their incomes.
In Bangladesh, it’s not an increase in public
spending that’s cleaning up city slums for
people. It’s Practical Action, bringing low-
income communities, local government,
businesses and self-employed waste workers
together to create the right plan. This approach
has been adopted as national policy in
Bangladesh and millions more will now have
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access to safe water and sanitation systems.
And in Zimbabwe, it’s not an extension of the
national grid that’s transforming lives through
the power of clean electricity. It’s Practical
Action’s work to establish solar “mini-grids” for
remote communities. These are now powering
up homes, schools, health clinics, workplaces
and crop irrigation systems. Almost every
aspect of life has improved - and as people
become more productive, they earn more and
can pay for the electricity they use.
As we think about the sort of post-crisis
world we want to shape, let’s aim for anything
but normal. Practical Action’s work clearly
shows us that with a little ingenuity and a lot of
shared effort, we can build a world that works
better for everyone. Let’s do it.Want to help?
To explore or donate to Practical Action’s work, visit
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Today, a message from Practical Action