PNG’s society is very much a „leapfrog society”: In its history of only 140 years of interaction with other societies around the globe, PNG has managed to –or was forced to— leapfrog over entire stages of civilization, catching up in only 3-4 generations on developments for which other societies have needed centuries. (See also the related blogs “Wheel” and “Metal”)
PNG has leapfrogged from stone axes directly to chainsaws, skipping the stages of ore mining, iron forging and metal tool smiths.
PNG has leapfrogged from foot-walking directly to motor-cars, skipping the stages of horse- or oxen-carts.
PNG has leapfrogged from simple bamboo huts directly to multi-storey steel-and-concrete buildings, skipping the stages of masonry and brick buildings.
Many people in PNG have travelled by airplane earlier than on a paved tarmac road.
Many people in PNG have used a mobile cellphone earlier than a landline telephone.
Many people in PNG have learned from the internet earlier than from their own school-books.
And now -through the SolSol project- many villages will have access to solar-powered electricity earlier than to the public power grid.
In September, PNG will celebrate its 50th anniversary of independence. The SolSol project wishes to pass the notion of solar power as a source of clean, affordable and emission-free energy to the youth of PNG for the benefit of all people, and particularly to the many rural areas that seem forgotten by the government politics. This will allow PNG’s society to leapfrog out of the polluting oil-and-gas industry into a clean future of responsibility for Nature and God’s creation.
All the best wishes for what lies ahead, Leapfrog society!