The Southern Institute for Appropriate Technology (SIFAT) is a 176-acre facility located in rural Lineville, Alabama that provides opportunities to learn hands-on skill sin the development and use of appropriate technologies around the world. The Sparkman Center works directly with SIFAT to offer a May-mester field course for undergraduate and graduate students, combining the best in academic research with appropriate technologies in a community development context to address basic human needs essential to good health around the world.
Gain Hands-On Field Practice Experience
Facilitated by professionals with extensive field practice experience, practical training at SIFAT emphasizes the subjects of water and sanitation, food and nutrition, alternative energy, microenterprise development, and participatory community development. Students will have the opportunity to:
- Learn roof-top gardening
- Build a simple solar cooker
- Make leaf concentrate to treat malnourishment
- Learn simple technologies for clean water and sanitation
- Build fuel-efficient cookstoves
- Learn to preserve foods and "refrigerate" without electricity
#MySIFATExperience
Cathy Nguyen and Kane Agan sat down with the Sparkman team to share their SIFAT experiences!