Give Pedal-Generated Light to Millions of Nepalis
|
|
Summary
An alternative to dirty & dim kerosene lamps, a 70-watt Pedal Generator easily lights two lamps in more than 100 homes for 3 hours every night & our individual home-lighting kits also let kids study.
 read updates from the field
|
Received $30,768 from 110 donations from people like:
|
More Information About this Project
Project Needs and Beneficiaries
For millions of Nepalis, night brings darkness, broken only by the dim light of a kerosene wick or hearth fire. Both make smoke that causes lung disease. Access to the electric grid or to clean power from local hydro, solar or biogas sources is often impractical or unaffordable. After dark, families cannot work and children cannot study. In the day, schools cannot access recorded educational material. Batteries cannot be recharged. Telecommunication is impractic
Activities
EcoSystems' team is upgrading the equipment with ongoing field trials. Manufacturing and distribution will begin by mid 2008. GG contributions are expanding the number of home lighting systems we can provide.
Funding Information
Total Funding Received to Date: $30,768
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $19,232
Total Funding Goal: $50,000
Additional Documentation
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
Resources
Why this Project is Important
Potential Long Term Impact
With electric power, many lives will improve. Families will have light for studies and housework, spend less on kerosene, suffer less lung disease. Schools can use TV to dramatically improve teaching. Rechargeable batteries become an option.
Project Message
“For years I’ve wanted to build a human-powered generator—to bring light to thousands of dark homes I’d seen. Now, this generator and the LED technology will make this happen.”
- David Sowerwine, Managing Director of EcoSystems
When this Project was Updated
Last Updated
This project was last updated on August 07, 2008.
Date Added to GlobalGiving
This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on October 10, 2005.
Latest Update from the Field
In the lab, in the field
By David Sowerwine - Managing Director, August 07, 2008 04:50 PM
The story of creation, of new technology in the developing world at least, is not one of a single, brilliant, stroke but definitely one of evolution, trial and error, and survival of the fittest design. We are now in the third generation of the EcoPower systems, with a much clearer idea of the needs for particular features, and the overwhelming need to reduce cost. A few field trials will be under way by year's end; some of the original trial sites will be re-equipped with better equipment, and in some cases, many more households will be added to their village network. Your donations make this expansion practical.
We carried a full power system through the center of Tanahun District last week, spending two nights at diffrent villages to get their comments on the lights, radio, and of course, on the small 10" LCD TV. A companion DVD player provided a UNICEF cartoon with a social message--to the delight of everyone who could squeeze close enough to see.
It's clear that educational DVDs can be a powerful tool in the rural environment where schooling is so difficult and support materials so little. The PedalGenerator offers a way to ensure that the power won't go out.
Read 4 more "Updates from the Field" |
Comment on this update
 Subscribe to "Updates from the Field" by E-Mail
How Else You Can Help
Spread the Word on your Profile, Blog, or Website
Put a widget for this project on your profile, blog or website to turn your friends into givers. Using our widget, it's quick and easy to add this widget to your profile or blog!
|
giving cart
create an account
login
my profile
logout
Nepal
Environment
Printer Friendly
Add to Favorite Projects
Add to Registry
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Spread the Word
Tag on del.icio.us
Add to Facebook
Digg It!
Add to Google Bookmarks
Add to Yahoo! Bookmarks
Reddit