Ideas for Africa

What's the best idea for helping better people's lives in Africa? Solar-powered ovens? Farmer consortiums? Networks to make rural markets run more effectively?

Those are three of the ideas currently vying for the top spot in the Africa Rural Connect (ARC) ideas-for-Africa contest. ARC, a Web site that connect thousands of current and former Peace Corps volunteers with all of those who work on and care about bringing change to Africa, encourages anyone to enter an idea and vote on others' ideas.

Ideas that need more work can get suggestions from the ARC community. According to ARC's Web site, this is an important point of the contest: "We believe that collaboration is the key to developing the best ideas for Africa."

The best ideas will win cash prizes each month from August to November. The idea with the highest rating on the 15th of every month will be awarded $3,000. Second place garners $2,000 and third place $1,000.

Additionally, every month 10 others with excellent community endorsements and interactions will be presented with a special badge. The top 20 of these badge-holders at the end of the contest will be nominated to the final round for a chance to win the $20,000 grand prize. The grand prize winner will be announced in early December.

Do you have an idea? It's free to enter, so add it to the fray here. The next round closes on September 15.

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