From Africa to Finland: One Student's Journey and Importance of Sustainability

MULUKEN ADMASSU: Good morning, everybody. I'm deeply honored and excited to stand before you today to share my journey from Africa to Finland, and importance of sustainability by taking a case of the community where I came from. On this Autodesk University summit over the next 40-- around 40 minutes, we will embark a journey together, delving into Africa and cottage industries from sustainable product development and design perspective, a topic that holds significant relevance and importance.

In today's fast-paced world, where change is the only constant, it's crucial for us to stay informed and adaptable. Our gathering today represents a unique opportunity to current state of sustainability in design and manufacturing. And we will discuss the challenges and opportunities in advancing sustainable design and manufacturing in Africa and cottage industries. And at the end, we will look a way forward as well.

During our time together. I encourage you all to be actively engaged, ask questions, participate in conversation, and together, we can unearth new perspectives, ignite innovative ideas, and collectively work towards our goals. Without further ado, let's begin our exploration into our topic discussion. Thank you for your attention. And let's dive to our topic.

I think I better say something about myself. I will just later on explain a lot. I am an Ethiopian immigrant, thriving at the crossroads of Finnish education industry. As an African, I emphasize locally produced items, shaping my perspective on sustainability. In 2016, I moved to Finland and studied CNC machining. A skill-- I now work as a CNC machine operator in Sew-Eurodrive Finland.

I'm currently as well a student at Arcada University of Applied Sciences, pursuing a degree in mechanical and sustainable engineering. My academic focus centers on sustainable product design, aligning with contemporary environmental needs. Beyond academics and profession, I also advocate for cottage industries, recognizing their economic and cultural significance.

Today's learning objectives will include discussing the current state of sustainability in design and manufacturing. We will see my journey from Africa to Finland, and the challenges and opportunities I pass through. We discussed the challenges and opportunities in advancing sustainable design and manufacturing, specifically in cottage industries. We'll discover how new technologies can help us achieve sustainable design and manufacturing and discuss the challenges and opportunities as well.

So when we come to the current state of sustainability in design and manufacturing in African context, many African countries have limited resources, which makes resource efficiency a primary concern. Sustainable design and manufacturing in Africa often involves minimizing material waste and optimizing resources used to maximize economic and environmental benefits. African designers and manufacturers are increasingly exploring the use of local sources and sustainable materials. This approach not only reduces transportation costs, but also supports local communities and reduces the carbon footprint of products.

A significant portion of manufacturing in Africa is conducted in the informal sector. Integrating sustainability into this sector is crucial for improving working conditions and reducing environmental impacts. Initiatives formalizing and supporting sustainable practices in this sector are emerging. Africa has abundant renewable energy resources, including solar and wind. Sustainable manufacturing in Africa often involves harnessing these resources to power factories and reduce reliance on fossil.

Sustainable manufacturing in Africa is closely linked to water availability and management. Companies are working to reduce water consumption and implement wastewater treatment systems to minimize environmental contamination. Sustainable manufacturing initiatives often focus on creating job opportunities and developing skills with the local communities. This contributes to economic development and social stability.

But as electronic consumption grows, the management of electronic waste, e-waste, becomes a significant concern. African countries are increasingly looking to establish proper e-waste recycling disposal systems. Circular economy-- African nations are exploring circular economy principles, such as product repair, reuse to extend the lifespan of products and reduce waste.

Infrastructure gaps, including transportation and energy supply can pose challenges to sustainable manufacturing. And addressing these gaps is essential for promoting sustainable practices. Cultural factors play a significant role in design and manufacturing decisions in Africa as well. Sustainable design must consider cultural references and local needs.

So having said so, why building a sustainable and equitable future is needed? When the UN adopted the SDGs in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it's because the world faces complex intercontinental challenges, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and conflict. The SDGs were created to provide a comprehensive framework for addressing these challenges on a global scale. The SDGs aim to leave no one behind. They are designed to be universally applicable to all countries and all people, regardless of their level of development. This inclusivity recognizes that development challenges are not limited to a specific region or countries.

The SDGs provide a common set of goals and targets for countries, organizations, and individuals to work toward. This coordinated approach encourages collaboration and partnership at the global and national local levels. The 2030 agenda sets a 15-year lifespan for achieving SDGs. This long-term vision encourages sustained efforts and investments in sustainable development. Multidimensionality, this addresses a wide range of issues, from the poverty and hunger, to education, health gender equality, clean energy, and sustainable cities.

And the other is just the SDGs build upon the lessons learned from Millennium Development Goals. The SDGs have gained significant public awareness and support, making them a powerful tool for holding government and organizations accountable for their commitments to sustainable development.

So now we are going to-- I'm going to explore a bit more about my journey from Africa to Finland. I hope we'll get something from here. Sorry. As the speaker, my origin traces back to remote North Central Highlands of Ethiopia, where I was born and raised. In 2005, I embarked a journey away from my birthplace, and it was during this transition that I bore witness to both the challenges and opportunities inherent in sustainable product design and manufacturing.

In the years before my departure, our local community thrived on self-sufficiency. Within the confines of our locality, the people relied exclusively on locally crafted goods to meet their daily needs. Every aspect of life, from household essentials to subsistence was orchestrated by the hundreds of skilled artisans, operating in small cottage industries. Within our community, a multitude of artisans played a vital role.

We had skilled weavers, who expertly produced clothing for individuals of all ages and genders. Clay makers fashioned cooking vessels, stoves, and water storage containers with remarkable efficiency, harnessing the natural insulating properties of clay to preserve heat and food. Metalsmiths skillfully blended various methods, fashioning a wide array of tools and household items, like knives, spoons, meal plates and meal cups, and more, employing metal, wood, plant materials, stones from the riverside, and even a cattle horn.

Our everyday rituals reflect this commitment to sustainability. We drew water from the land using locally crafted clay jars. And we support beverages produced within our community. Meal plates were crafted from grass or clay. And we wrote on a paper made from animal skins, showcasing our resourcefulness and respect for the environment. In 2019, after 14 years of absence, I returned to my home community, only to find a stark transformation. Much of our traditional sustainable way of life had given away to the influx of imported plastic utensils, metallic cookware, and Western or Chinese made clothes. The once thriving production of local beers and liquors had dwindled as villagers increasingly favored industrially distilled alternatives.

Most disheartening of all was the plight of our skilled artisans, the weavers, metalsmiths, and clay makers. Their craft had been abandoned due to lack of technological advancement, rendering them unable to compete with industrial scale manufacturing. Moreover, epistemic genocide-- as you can see from the slides that I'm presenting, that you are seeing-- just made of corn, clay, and plant products. Later on, when I returned back in 2019, as you see, the cups are made of plastic. Water containers are also plastic.

The clothes-- these are local weavers making clothes. But when I came back-- it's me and the cattle keeper, a relative of mine that I met in a meadow. He was wearing, just as you see, Chinese clothes, like me, Chinese or Western made clothes.

These were locally produced beer and liquor. The containers corn, and the second one is just made of plant. But later on, what I have witnessed is people drinking beer and other liquors-- were industrially distilled. As you see, the writing material was animal skin and [INAUDIBLE]. Now they shifted to papers.

Artisans, the craftsmanship jobs were abandoned. Wisdom or epistemic genocide was a typical example for that to me. When I came back in 2000-- excuse me-- when I came back after 15 years, the jobs of the local craftsmen and artisans, they almost lost all of their jobs.

So if when we see the journey of my native community before 2005 and during my return in 2019, if we see it from epistemic perspectives, our community was self-sustained, locally produced of necessities, cottage industries for goods, skilled artisans, weavers, clay makers, metalsmiths, local-- everything was produced locally. But later on, imported goods, flooding of imported goods, decline of local industries, abandonment of traditional wisdom, technological gap with industrial manufacturers, adoption of Western or Chinese made clothes, and fabrics.

From here, from the story, this story uncovers the importance of sustainable product design and manufacturing. The abandonment of our traditional practices not only leads to loss of cultural heritage, but also negative impact to the environment. The key lesson here is the sustainable practices rooted in local wisdom and craftsmanship can be a powerful force for preserving our heritage, protecting our environment, ensuring the livelihood of our artisans. In an era where technology and innovation abound, it's crucial that we find ways to enhance traditional skills, enabling them to coexist harmoniously with modern manufacturing, while staying true to principles of sustainable and resourcefulness.

So one of the challenges in advancing sustainable design and manufactures, as you may see, in African cottage industries, there's a transition from traditional, locally sustained, self-sustained lifestyle to globalized industrial society. This shift poses significant cultural adaptation challenges for African cottage industries.

Another pressing challenge is the heavy reliance on the importation of foreign goods, including plastic utensils, metallic dishes, and the Western/Chinese clothing. This dependence not only raises economic concerns, but also has adverse environmental impact, while also contributing to the erosion of local industries. A critical challenge is the decline in local craftsmanship and a phenomenon known as epistemicide. This decline results in the loss of jobs and traditional wisdom among local artisans, such as weavers, metalsmiths, clay makers. As a result, these cottage industries struggle to compete with industrial manufacturing.

After saying the challenges, there are also certain opportunities for advancing sustainable design and manufacturing in African cottage industries. The opportunities may include cottage industries have an opportunity to play a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage by reviving sustainable practices, rooted in the tradition. Embracing sustainable manufacturing methods and materials can help these industries thrive while contributing to broader environmental goals.

Initiatives focused on skill development and education can empower local artisans to adapt changing markets and technologies, ensuring the survival of their craftsmanship. Tapping into the market for sustainable products, there is a growing market for handmade sustainable products globally. Cottage industries can capitalize on this trend by offering unique, eco-friendly products that cater to consumers seeking authentic and environmentally conscious alternatives.

Leveraging technology for sustainable design and manufacturing in local cottage industries, there are also here challenges and opportunities we may discuss a bit. Access to technology-- still many African countries in rural-- in the area like I was born, in remote areas, access to technologies is still limited. There is a low infrastructure. The skill and training, there are a lot of gaps among local artisans. There is a need for training and education. The cost of technology is also unthinkable. It's high there when you compare to cities and other advanced countries.

There is high initial investment. There are also financial challenges. Environmentally ensuring sustainable technology adoption may minimize the harm to the environment. Still, we should discuss, I think, leveraging new technologies. Nowadays, there are automation of tasks. This will reduce labor costs and increase the efficiency. There are also quality improvements, enhanced precision, and consistency-- high-quality products. We can reach out in a global market through online mechanism. Sustainability has become also an issue globally.

So we can enhance the skills of artisans. We can mix up modern technology with local ones as well. I think there are still a lot of opportunities in leveraging new technology. I think it's better to say a bit-- a way forward before we conclude this lesson, this class.

Collaborative for me, I just propose-- I recommend the following things to improve the African cottage industries in designing sustainability and design of African cottage industries. So collaborative approach, collaborative co-designing and co-development with local craftsmen and artisans to leverage local knowledge. And designers and product developers should follow a participatory approach, engaging with local consumers and craftsmen to integrate local knowledge and culture to prevent epistemic genocide. And other, we encourage-- I encourage at least-- a continuous learning mindset among designers and product developers.

I think I shouldn't conclude before I extend my sincere gratitude for Autodesk University, which supports all the transport, flight, hotel, and summit-related costs as well. I think it's time for question and answer. The floor is open for questions. And thank you very much.