What a scrapyard in Ghana can teach us about innovation | DK Osseo-Asare

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Come with me to Agbogbloshie,

跟我一起來阿博布羅西，

a neighborhood in the heart of Accra,

它是位在阿克拉中心地帶的街坊，

named after a god that lives in the Odaw River.

它的名字是住在 奧道河裡的神的名字。

There's a slum, Old Fadama,

有個貧民窟叫做老法達瑪，

built on land reclaimed from the Korle Lagoon,

建在從科勒潟湖開墾出來的土地上，

just before it opens into the Gulf of Guinea.

就在快要到幾內亞灣的地方。

There's a scrapyard here where people take apart all kinds of things,

這裡有個廢料場， 大家在此地拆解各種東西，

from mobile phones to computers,

從手機到電腦，

automobiles to even entire airplanes.

汽車到甚至整架飛機。

Agbogbloshie's scrapyard is famous

阿博布羅西的廢料場很有名，

because it has become a symbol of the downside of technology:

因為它已變成了科技的負面象徵：

the problem of planned obsolescence.

過時的報廢規劃。

It's seen as a place where devices from around the world end their life,

它被視為是世界各地 廢棄裝置的墳場，

where your data comes to die.

你的資料來這裡壽終正寢。

These are the images that the media loves to show,

媒體很愛刊出這些影像，

of young men and boys burning wires and cables

年輕人和男孩在燒電線和纜線，

to recover copper and aluminum,

以回收銅和鋁，

using Styrofoam and old tires as fuel,

用泡沫塑膠和老輪胎來當燃料，

seriously hurting themselves and the environment.

嚴重傷害他們自己的健康 也傷害了環境。

It's a super-toxic process,

這是個非常毒的過程，

producing pollutants that enter the global ecosystem,

產生出來的污染物會進到 全球的生態系統，

build up in fatty tissue

累積在脂肪組織中，

and threaten the top of the food chain.

威脅到最上層的食物鏈。

But this story is incomplete.

但這故事並不完整。

There's a lot we can learn from Agbogbloshie,

我們能從阿博布羅西學很多，

where scrap collected from city- and nationwide is brought.

全市及全國各地所收集來的 廢料被帶到這裡來。

For so many of us,

對我們許多人來說，

our devices are black boxes.

我們的裝置就是黑盒子。

We know what they do,

我們知道它們能做什麼，

but not how they work or what's inside.

但不知道它們怎麼運作， 或裡面有什麼。

In Agbogbloshie, people make it their business

在阿博布羅西，大家把探究出裡面

to know exactly what's inside.

有什麼變成是他們的事業。

Scrap dealers recover copper, aluminum, steel, glass, plastic

廢料商人回收銅、 鋁、鋼、玻璃、塑膠，

and printed circuit boards.

以及印刷電路板。

It's called "urban mining."

這稱為「都市挖礦」。

It's now more efficient for us to mine materials from our waste.

現今我們從廢棄物當中 挖出材料比較有效率。

There is 10 times more gold, silver, platinum, palladium

一公噸電子產品中的 金、銀、鉑、鈀含量

in one ton of our electronics

比一公噸地下挖出的 礦物中的金屬含量

than in one ton of ore mined from beneath the surface of the earth.

要高十倍。

In Agbogbloshie,

在阿博布羅西，

weight is a form of currency.

重量就是一種貨幣的形式。

Devices are dissected to recover materials, parts and components

裝置被拆解，以回收材料、 零件，和元件，

with incredible attention to detail,

非常注意細節，

down to the aluminum tips of electric plugs.

細到連電插頭的 鋁製尖端都不放過。

But scrap dealers don't destroy components that are still functional.

但廢料商人不會毀壞 還能夠用的元件。

They supply them to repair workshops like this one in Agbogbloshie

他們會把它們供應給維修工廠， 就像在阿博布羅西的這一間，

and the tens of thousands of technicians across the country

以及全國各地數萬名技工，

that refurbish electrical and electronic equipment,

他們會將電機 及電子設備重新整修，

and sell them as used products to consumers that may not be able to buy

當作二手商品販售給 可能買不起新電視

a new television or a new computer.

或新電腦的消費者。

Make no mistake about it, there are young hackers in Agbogbloshie --

別懷疑，在阿博布羅西 有年輕的駭客——

and I mean that in the very best sense of that word --

且我所指的是那字面上 最好意義的駭客——

that know not only how to take apart computers

他們不僅知道要如何拆解電腦，

but how to put them back together, how to give them new life.

也知道如何再組裝回來， 如何給予它們新生命。

Agbogbloshie reminds us that making is a cycle.

阿博布羅西提醒我們， 「製作」是一個循環。

It extends to remaking and unmaking

它延伸至重製以及恢復原狀，

in order to recover the materials that enable us to make something anew.

目的是回收材料，再製出新的東西。

We can learn from Agbogbloshie,

我們能向阿博布羅西學習，

where cobblers remake work boots,

在那裡，鞋匠會重製工作靴，

where women collect plastic from all over the city,

在那裡，女性會從 城市各處收集塑膠，

sort it by type,

根據類別來分類，

shred it, wash it

將之切碎、清洗，

and ultimately sell it back as feedstock to factories

最終再當作原料，售回工廠，

to make new clothing,

來製造新衣服、

new plastic buckets

新塑膠筒，

and chairs.

和椅子。

Steel is stockpiled separately,

鋼會被分開存放，

where the carcasses of cars and microwaves and washing machines

在那裡，汽車、微波爐， 以及洗衣機的殘骸

become iron rods for new construction;

會變成鐵棒，供新的建設用；

where roofing sheets become cookstoves;

屋頂板會變成烹調用爐；

where shafts from cars become chisels

汽車的軸會變成鑿子，

that are used to scrap more objects;

用來拆解更多的物件；

where aluminum recovered from the radiators of fridges

從冰箱及冷氣的冷卻器

and air conditioners

所取回的鋁

are melted down

會被熔解，

and use sand casting to make ornaments for the building industry,

用沙模鑄造的方式， 來為建造產業製作裝飾品，

for pots which are sold just down the street in the Agbogbloshie market

在這條街尾的阿博布羅西 市場中販售的罐子，

with a full array of locally made ovens, stoves and smokers,

還搭配了一大堆當地製作的 烤箱、爐灶，及煙燻爐，

which are used every day

這些東西每天都用得到，

to make the majority of palm nut soups,

用來製作城市中大部分的棕櫚仁湯、

of tea and sugar breads,

茶及糖麵包、

of grilled tilapia in the city.

炙烤非洲鯽魚。

They're made in roadside workshops like this one by welders like Mohammed,

它們都是在路邊的工作坊製作的， 就像這間，由焊工穆罕默德經營，

who recover materials from the waste stream

他會從廢物流中取回材料，

and use them to make all kinds of things,

用它們來做出各種東西，

like dumbbells for working out out of old car parts.

比如用老舊汽車零件 來做健身用的啞鈴。

But here's what's really cool:

但真正很酷的一點是：

the welding machines they use look like this,

他們所用的焊接機器 看起來是這樣的，

and they're made by specially coiling copper

製作方式是將特製的銅盤繞在

around electrical steel recovered from old transformer scrap.

從變壓器殘骸取出的電磁鋼片上。

There's an entire industry just next to Agbogbloshie

在阿博布羅西旁邊，有一整個工業，

making locally fabricated welding machines that power local fabrication.

製造焊接熔接機器 給當地人做焊接用。

What's really cool as well is that there's a transfer of skills and knowledge

還有很酷的一點是

能夠跨世代轉移技巧和知識，

across generations,

from masters to apprentices,

從師父傳給學徒，

but it's done through active learning, through heuristic learning,

但轉移的方式，是透過主動學習， 透過從錯誤中學習，

learning by doing and by making.

從實做中學習。

And this stands in sharp contrast

這方式和學校許多學生的經驗，

to the experience of many students in school,

成為很強烈的對比，

where lecturers lecture,

在學校，會有老師授課，

and students write things down and memorize them.

學生會把老師教的 寫下來、記下來。

It's boring, but the real problem is

很無聊，但真正的問題是，

this somehow preempts their latent or their inherent entrepreneurial power.

學生潛在或天生的企業家本領 可能就沒得施展。

They know books but not how to make stuff.

他們會唸書，但不知道怎麼做東西。

Four years ago, my cofounder Yasmine Abbas and I asked:

四年前，我的共同創辦人 雅斯明阿巴斯和我問了這個問題：

What would happen if we could couple

我們是不是能夠將

the practical know-how of makers in the informal sector

非正式部門中自造者的 實際技巧與本事

with the technical knowledge of students and young professionals

和學生與年輕教授的 STEAM 技術知識

in STEAM fields --

結合在一起——

science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics --

STEAM 即科學、科技、 工程、藝術、數學——

to build a STEAM-powered innovation engine

建立以 STEAM 推動的創新引擎，

to drive what we call "Sankofa Innovation," which I'll explain.

來帶動我們所謂的 「Sankofa 創新」，我會再解釋。

We took forays into the scrapyard

我們突襲廢料場，

to look for what could be repurposed,

尋找可能有其他用途的東西，

like DVD writers that could become laser etchers,

比如 DVD 燒錄器， 可以變成雷射蝕刻機，

or the power supplies of old servers

或是老舊伺服器的供電器

for a start-up in Kumasi making 3D printers out of e-waste.

可以給庫馬西的新興公司 用來與電子廢物製成 3D 印表機。

The key was to bring together young people from different backgrounds

關鍵在於，要將不同背景的 年輕人結合在一起，

that ordinarily never have anything to do with each other,

因為平常一般情況下 他們是完全沒交集的，

to have a conversation about how they could collaborate

要讓他們能聚在一起， 談談他們能如何合作，

and to test and develop new machines and tools

來測試和開發新的機器與工具，

that could allow them to shred and strip copper instead of burning it,

用來切、剝銅，以取代燒銅，

to mold plastic bricks and tiles,

來鑄造塑膠磚塊和瓦片，

to build new computers out of components recovered from dead electronics,

用從壞掉的電子產品 所取得的元件來建造新的電腦，

to build a drone.

建造無人機。

And here you can see it flying for the first time in Agbogbloshie.

各位可以看見，這是它在 阿博布羅西的第一次飛行。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Yasmine and I have collaborated with over 1,500 young people,

雅斯明和我已經與 超過 1500 位年輕人合作，

750 from STEAM fields,

有 750 位是來自 STEAM 領域的，

and over 750 grassroots makers and scrap dealers

還有超過 750 位 草根自造者和廢料商人，

from Agbogbloshie and beyond.

來自阿博布羅西及以外的地區。

They've joined hands together to develop a platform

他們聯手開發了一個平台，

which they call Spacecraft,

被他們稱為「太空船」，

a hybrid physical and digital space for crafting,

它是個混合的物理 及數位空間，供製作使用，

more of a process than a product,

比較像是個過程而非產品，

an open architecture for making,

供製作用的開放結構，

which involves three parts:

它包含三部分：

a makerspace kiosk, which is prefab and modular;

組合式、模組式的自造者互動機台亭；

tool kits which can be customized based on what makers want to make;

根據使用者的需求而客製的工具包；

and a trading app.

以及交易應用程式。

We built the app specifically with the needs of the scrap dealers

首先我們專門針對廢料商人的需求

in mind first,

構建了應用程式，

because we realized that it was not enough to arm them with information

因為我們知道

光是提供資訊和改良的技術 給他們是不夠的，

and upgraded technology

if we wanted them to green their recycling processes;

如果我們想要他們 將回收過程環保化的話，

they needed incentives.

他們會需要獎勵。

Scrap dealers are always looking for new scrap and new buyers

廢料商人總是在找 新的廢料以及新的買主，

and what interests them is finding buyers who will pay more

他們感興趣的是找到那些

願意比買焚燒的銅 花更多錢來買乾淨的銅的買家。

for clean copper than for burnt.

We realized that in the entire ecosystem,

我們發現，在整個生態系統中，

everyone was searching for something.

每個人都在尋找某樣東西。

Makers are searching for materials, parts, components, tools, blueprints

自造者在尋找材料、 零件、元件、工具、藍圖，

to make what it is they want to make.

來製造他們想要製造的東西。

They're also finding a way to let customers and clientele

他們也在找方法來讓客戶及委託人

find out that they can repair a blender

知道他們可以修復攪拌機，

or fix an iron

或修好熨斗，

or, as we learned yesterday, to make a french fry machine.

或，我們昨天才知道的， 他們也能製造出薯條機。

On the flip side, you find that there are end users

另一方面，有終端使用者

that are desperately looking for someone that can make them a french fry machine,

非常迫切地想要找人 幫他們製造薯條機，

and you have scrap dealers who are looking how they can collect this scrap,

還有廢料商人，他們在想的 是要如何收集這類廢料、

process it, and turn it back into an input for new making.

處理，轉成再製新東西的材料。

We tried to untangle that knot of not knowing

我們試著解開那個「不知道」的結，

to allow people to find what they need to make what they want to make.

讓大家找到他們需要的東西， 來製造他們想要製造的東西。

We prototyped the makerspace kiosk in Agbogbloshie,

我們在阿博布羅西做出了 自造者互動機台亭的原型，

conceived as the opposite of a school:

設計的想法和學校相反：

a portal into experiential and experimental making

它是個通往體驗式 與實驗式製造的入口，

that connects local and global

將地方與全球連結，

and connects making with remaking and unmaking.

結合製造與重新製造和恢復原狀。

We made a rule that everything had to be made from scratch

我們訂了一條規則， 一切都得要從零開始，

using only materials made in Ghana

只能用迦納所產的材料，

or sourced from the scrapyard.

或是來自廢料場的材料。

The structures essentially are simple trusses which bolt together.

基本上，這個結構是把 簡單的構架拴在一起。

It takes about two hours to assemble one module with semi-skilled labor,

半熟練的勞工，組裝一個模組 大約要兩小時的時間，

and by developing tooling and jigs and rigs,

且藉由工具製造、 鑽模、器械的開發，

we were able to actually build these standardized parts

我們得以真正在這個 工匠焊工的生態系統中

within this ecosystem of artisanal welders

建造出這些標準化的零件，

with the precision of one millimeter --

精準度達到一毫米——

of course, using made-in-Agbogbloshie welding machines,

當然，用的是阿博布羅西 製造的焊接機器，

as well as for the tools,

還有工具，

which can lock, the toolboxes, and stack to make workbenches,

工具箱能上鎖，還能夠 疊起來變成工作台，

and again, customized based on what you want to make.

同樣的，也能根據 你想要做什麼來客製化。

We've tested the app in Agbogbloshie

我們在阿博布羅西 測試了這個應用程式，

and are getting ready to open it up to other maker ecosystems.

已經準備好要開放給 其他的自造者生態系統。

In six months, we'll have finished three years of testing

六個月後，我們 為期三年的自造者互動機台亭

the makerspace kiosk,

就會完成測試，

which I have to admit, we've subjected to some pretty horrific abuse.

我得承認，在測試中我們 遇到了一些很可怕的濫用狀況。

But it's for a good cause,

但這是個很好的事業，

because based on the results of that testing,

因為依據測試的結果，

we've been able to redesign an upgraded version of this makerspace.

我們重新設計和升級了 這個自造者空間，推出新版本。

If a fab lab is large, expensive, and fixed in place,

如果製造實驗室很大、 很昂貴，又固定不動，

think of this as the counterpoint:

那可以把這個發明想成對比：

something low-cost,

它的成本很低，

which can be locally manufactured,

可以在當地製造，

which can be expanded and kitted out incrementally

若自造者需要資源，它還可以擴大，

as makers acquire resources.

漸漸增加變得更齊全。

You can think of it as a toolshed,

你可以把它想成是工具棚，

where makers can come and check out tools

自造者能來這裡看看有什麼工具，

and take them via handcart

再用手推車把工具拿走，

to wherever they want in the city to make what it is they want to make.

拿到城市中任何地方， 去做任何他們想要做的東西。

And moving into the next phase, we're planning to also add

我們要進入下一個階段了， 我們在計畫要加上

ceiling-mounted CNC bots,

安裝在屋頂上的 電腦數字控制機器人，

which allow makers to cocreate together with robots.

就能讓自造者和機器人 合作共同進行創造。

Ultimately, this is a kit of parts,

最終，它是個零件的套裝組，

which can be assembled locally within the informal sector

可以在當地的 非正式部門內完成組裝，

using standardized parts

用的是標準化的零件，

which can be upgraded collectively through an open-source process.

這些零件可以透過開放原始碼的 處理程序來一起升級。

In totality, this entire makerspace system

總的來說，這整個自造者空間系統

tries to do five things:

想要做到五件事：

to enable emerging makers to gather the resources they need

讓新興的自造者能夠 聚集他們需要的資源以及工具，

and the tools to make what they want to make;

來製造他們想要製造的東西；

to learn by doing and from others;

透過實做學習和向他人學習；

to produce more and better products;

生產出更多、更好的產品；

to be able to trade to generate steady income;

能夠買賣，產生出穩定的收入；

and ultimately, to amplify not only their reputation as a maker,

最終，要來宣揚自造者的名聲

but their maker potential.

以及自造者的潛能。

Sankofa is one of the most powerful Adinkra symbols of the Akan peoples

迦納和象牙海岸的阿坎族 所用的阿丁克拉符號中

in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire,

其中最強大的一個符號 是 Sankofa，

and it can be represented as a bird reaching onto its back to collect an egg,

表示圖案是一隻鳥將頭 靠近牠的背以取得一顆蛋，

a symbol of power.

這是力量的符號。

It translates literally from the Twi as "return and get it,"

字面上直譯為「返回去取得它」，

and what this means is that if an individual or a community or a society

意思是，如果個人、社區，或社會

wants to have a successful future, they have to draw on the past.

想要有成功的未來， 就得要利用過去。

To acquire and master existing ways of doing,

要習得並精通現有的做法，

access the knowledge of their ancestors.

取得他們祖先的知識。

And this is very relevant

如果我們想要為現在的非洲

if we want to think about an inclusive future for Africa today.

設想出一個包容的未來， 這點是非常重要的。

We have to start from the ground up,

我們得要從頭開始，

mining what already works for methods and for models,

開採已知可用的方法和模型，

and to think about how might we be able to connect,

並思考我們要如何才能

in a kind of "both-and," not "either-or" paradigm,

用「—和—」的範式， 而非「—或—」，

the innovation capacity of this growing network

來連結這個不斷成長的創新能力網，

of tech hubs and incubators across the continent

因為這網路連結了整片非洲大陸的 科技中心與育成中心。

and to rethink beyond national boundaries and political boundaries,

還要重新思考，將思考延伸至 國家界線與政治界線之外，

to think about how we can network innovation in Africa

來思考我們要如何 在非洲將創新連結成網路，

with the spirit of Sankofa

用 Sankofa 的精神，

and the existing capacity of makers at the grassroots.

以及草根層級自造者的既有能力。

If, in the future, someone tells you

如果在未來有人告訴你，

Agbogbloshie is the largest e-waste dump in the world,

阿博布羅西是世界上 最大的電子廢物垃圾場，

I hope you can correct them

我希望你能糾正他們，

and explain to them that a dump is a place where you throw things away

向他們解釋，所謂的垃圾場， 是指把不要的東西丟過去之後

and leave them forever;

就會永遠留在那裡。

a scrapyard is where you take things apart.

而廢料場則是拆解東西的地方。

Waste is something that no longer has any value,

廢物是不再有價值的東西，

whereas scrap is something that you recover

而廢料則是可以回收回來

specifically to use it to remake something new.

並用來重新製造新東西的。

Making is a cycle,

製造是一個循環，

and African makerspaces are already pioneering and leading

而非洲的自造者空間 已經在草根的等級上

扮演先鋒，領導循環經濟。

circular economy at the grassroots.

Let's make more and better together.

讓我們一同製造更多、更好的東西。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）