The Planet NI Program in Emerging Countries Around the World
NI offices around the world locally define and develop their Planet NI programs. From providing technology for local farmers to working with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to help them achieve long-term success, Planet NI activities vary based on local community needs and priorities.
To extend its reach and maximize the impact of the Planet NI program, NI partners with mission-aligned global and local organizations around the globe on Planet NI initiatives. For example, NI has worked with Texas Instruments to equip a technology lab in Africa where students create and test integrated circuit chips that can help protect appliances from surges resulting from unreliable electricity. NI also has worked with UNDP in Lebanon to promote awareness and provide solutions for landmine and cluster bomb detection. Additional strategic partnerships include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Engineering World Health in Honduras, and dozens of universities around the world.
Participating Regions
Case Study: Partnering with Air University in Pakistan
According to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), the severity of the clean water crisis is greater than most expect. The inaccessibility to clean water causes more deaths globally than war. Today, about one in six people do not have access to this vital resource. Political and economic barriers, compounded by regional landscapes in developing countries, are often the root causes of impaired access to clean water. Outside civic infrastructure, village residents near Islamabad have access to only unsanitary water for everyday needs.
Contaminated water, coupled with an absence of health care options, makes living a daily challenge. The Planet NI program constituents partnered with the local Air University to use technology to develop devices that help meet the community’s clean water needs. With this collaborative effort, the team at Air created a life-changing solution through a solar-powered water pumping and filtration system. This innovation now provides the simple but critical amenity of access to clean water, which dramatically reduces the susceptibility of residents to water-borne diseases.
Empowerment Through NI Technology
Sorin Grama
Promethean Power Systems, Mumbai, India
"Our innovative milk chilling system, which reduces milk spoilage in rural India, would not have been possible without the Planet NI program. They saw the opportunity to help with a project which has significant social impact and worked with us to make their products accessible."