In the past six months, progress has been done in different aspects.

DISTRIBUTION

The outreach to the rural community has increased. More no. of rural community groups / cooperatives (from east, central and west Nepal) has been linked. In the past six months, 500 no. of solar tuki lamps were sold and new linkage developed with 5 cooperatives.


CENTRAL WAREHOUSE

To further promote the solar tuki as an enterprise and to support the local level entrepreneurs, the concept of central warehouse has been developed. The idea is to import quality components from abroad (India, China) and to provide it to the local level entrepreneurs to fabricate the solar tuki. The warehouse will help in maintaining the quality of the solar tuki lamps and the end user will be benefited. At present, in the local Nepalese market, good quality components are not found and there is always the fear of local businessmen cheating the rural uneducated people.

With this purpose, separate contacts were developed with the Li-ion battery manufacturer and solar panel manufacturer in China. There samples were obtained, tested and the orders finalized. Accordingly, 2,000 pcs. of Li-ion battery has been delivered and the solar panel is being delivered next month. Quality brands of other components (from India) have also been identified.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Based upon the feedback from the end users, new types of fixtures have been developed.


RECOGNITION / AWARD
ECCA was invited to present its experience in the Global Business Conference for Modern Lighting in the Lighting Africa 2008 event, Ghana organized by World Bank and the International Finance Corporation in May 6-8, 2008.

ECCA solar tuki program video was awarded in the Global Development Marketplace Amateur Video Contest 2008 organized by the World Bank, Washington DC, USA


SCALING

Team Leader Prachet K. Shrestha participated in the Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI) program (Aug 2008) conducted by the Santa Clara University, San Jose, California, USA. During the course, Business plan was developed for further scaling of the solar tuki in Nepal; which was updated after returning to Nepal.

Thanks to the donor community of the Global Giving (and others as well), we are able to reach more no. of rural poor (who do not have the financial capacity to make down payment) through the credit and installment payback scheme (by using the revolving fund).

Attachments:

• ECCA-Solar Tuki-Update-Jan 2009.doc (DOC)

Following activities have taken place in the past 2 months:
•   Coordination with Mr. Rainer Mutschler for the promotion of Solar Tuki in El-Salvador
o   One set of Solar Tuki sent (as sample) via post
o   Couriered the hardcopies and emailed the softcopies of Solar Tuki Technical Manual and Brochures
•   Coordination with local NGO “UNISON” for establishing Warehouse in Kavre District
•   Arranging meetings for the promotion of Solar tuki in the Trekking Region – Langtang National Park
•   Coordination with cooperatives of Sindhuli District
•   Coordination with cooperative and school of Dailekh District
•   Coordination for the establishment of community charging centre in schools of Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City
•   Coordination with Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City for providing training to local women groups of Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City to promote local entrepreneurs.
•   Published "Light for All" Campaign in Catalytic Community Website
o   
•   Meeting and coordination with Ms. Corey for the publication of Solar Tuki endeavor in her Book “Social Entrepreneurs and Innovators”.

We would like to share a video with you about the solar tuki and its use in Nepal.

Links:

• Video about the Solar Tuki

TRAININGS CONDUCTED
• Motivator training to the field staffs of INGOs / NGOs and various projects
• Training camp for the youths focused on preparing the youths as promoters of alternative and renewable energy
• Training camp for the children and formation of children club - which conduct small scale follow-up activities and community orientation program in their local community
• Orientation on clean technology to the community, workers and staff of companies, Cooperatives, Forest Users’ Group, etc.
• Repair and maintenance training: for the people from the area where solar tuki are being promoted

DISTRIBUTION
• The no. of solar tuki sets distributed has exceeded the original target of 800 sets. Total 1,218 sets of Solar Tuki along with 41 single lamp units were distributed through the Global Development Marketplace during the period (July 2005 – March 2007).
• Additional 4,000 sets have been distributed through micro-financing scheme supported by World Bank Nepal Development Marketplace, Global Environment Facility, WWF Nepal Program, and private Nepalese companies and directly on cash.

SOCIAL IMPACT STUDY
Based upon the field visits, the baseline information collected before the distribution of Solar Tuki, the post Tuki survey report and the feedback received from the village level partner organizations (through whom solar tukis are being promoted), Impact study report has been prepared. Some of the major points are:
• Light: 13,000 rooms have clean, white and smokeless light
• Radio: able to listen for a longer time and to a variety of programs without having to worry the increase in cost
• Poverty eradication and a new economy: resource (sun) is made into an economic value, creating employment
• Education: allows children to study longer, children listen to radio (are informed about current information) and stay competitive with the rest of the students. Children can now stay inside the mosquito net and study
• Policy direction/Donor education: zero subsidy model, rather than providing subsidy - focus is to be made on supporting through start-up capital, quality control, central warehouse, access to credit market
• Long-term infrastructure: the infrastructure created can also be used to role out new products and services. New campaign – “Solar Tuki Plus” includes mobile phone and CDMA phone (which has spread to rural areas where there is no electricity) charger, 12volt black & white TV, fan for improved cook-stove.
• Environment (no fumes emission, no indoor pollution)
• Better health (less amount spent in medicine, soap)
• Foreign currency saving
• Energy security
• Reduced fire hazards

NEW APPROACH TAKEN
• Instead of developing new Users’ group / Saving and Credit Group and training them, linkage was established with the existing groups. These groups had been developed by various other projects (Government of Nepal/UNDP program, WWF, Winrock International, etc.).
• Repair and maintenance training has now been incorporated in the regular work plan of the manufacturer. The manufacturers have now been convinced to bear this cost as well – which will support in the long-term sustainability of the solar tuki program. Through this approach, the technical skill has been transferred to the local level Solar Tuki service centre without additional cost to the consumer. The local transportation cost is borne by the user’s group/trainee and the cost of food and accommodation during the training period is borne by the manufacturer. Also, now, no separate fund needs to be searched for the repair and maintenance trainings.

THE FUTURE: MOVING ONE STEP AHEAD
• Focus on community charging model of solar tuki (deviation from the present house-to-house charging model)

From the experience and the feedback received from the community, we have learned that more no. of poorest of the poor people could be reached though the community charging model. In this model, one large size solar panel (say 50 Watt or 65 Watt) along with charger having many (say, 20 or 30 or 40) outlets (where lamp units brought by villagers will be connected) will be placed in a community building (say, school, ward office, etc.). People will bring their solar tuki lamp to charge there. This way, people will have to buy only the solar tuki lamp (which costs only $11 per piece) - which means, it would not be necessary for each consumer to buy the costlier solar panel ($28) (which means, poor people will have to invest less money). Thus, more no. of poor people could be reached.

Extra value addition will be the use of the solar panel in charging the local battery system so as to light the community building itself (where adult literacy class, income generation activities, etc. could be conducted during the evening hours).

In the present house-to-house charging model, each house owns 2.5 Watt solar panel to charge 2 lamp units. Cost of panel is high. They have to pay US$50 for one panel and 2 lamp units.

• New campaign of “Solar Tuki Plus”

As people have become familiar and used-to with the new technology of Solar Tuki, they are now demanding additional features. The recent introduction of mobile phone and CDMA phone and its network expansion by the Nepalese telecom companies have also influenced the demand (of solar powered phone chargers) by the rural communities (since most part of the country lacks electricity supply). “Solar Tuki Plus” package includes mobile phone and CDMA phone (which has spread to rural areas where there is no electricity) charger, 12volt black & white TV, fan for improved cook-stove.


ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
• Long-term strategy has been developed considering the production aspect, distribution aspect and social mobilization
• Understandings have been developed with different institutions (e.g. development banks, others INGOs, local savings and credit groups) for promoting as well as investing in the solar tuki
• Manufacturing and distribution of the solar tuki is being developed as a self-sustaining business, for which, training for the entrepreneurs (who want to start manufacturing) has been given, concept of central warehouse has been developed
• The participation of the private sector has opened the door of unlimited opportunity in scaling and sustainability. Based upon this agreement, possibility has been enhanced in including the private sector in this LIGHT FOR ALL campaign.
• WWF Nepal Program has also contributed financially in the revolving fund managed by the local community group in Bardiya (Far Western Nepal) through their on-going program. The possibility of solar tuki promotion through Forest User Group Coordination Committee and using the income to support the health post was discussed. The fund from micro-financing institutes and Saving Credit Group formed by Winrock International will also be used along with support from GDM Revolving Fund
• 47 sets solar tukis and 54 pcs of lamp units and 2 larger sets for adult literacy classes were promoted through Community Learning Centers (located in Dadeldhura in far west Nepal) established by UNESCO Nepal
• Solar Tuki Sharing Workshop for Members of Parliament
To share the knowledge and experience gained during the solar tuki promotion in the past two years, sharing workshop was organized in Kathmandu for the Members of House of Representatives on August 9, 2006. The program was attended by 23 persons including 7 Members of Parliament (MP) from the 9 districts targeted by the Government of Nepal for the “Karnali Illuminated Program” (where 60,000 solar tuki are planned to be promoted from the national budget of fiscal year 2006/07).

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS REGARDING REPLICATION AND SCALABILITY
• Government of Nepal has recognized Solar Tuki (the technology itself) as a tool for providing light in rural areas and has initiated “Karnali Illuminated Program” through the fiscal year 2006/07 national budget. Under this program, 60,000 solar tuki will be promoted in 9 remote districts. Government has allocated Nepalese Rupees 250 million (US$ 3.5 million) for this program.
• Various international donor agencies are supporting the Nepalese Government in providing subsidy (around 50%) for Solar Tuki in rural districts through Alternate Energy Promotion Center (AEPC).

Links:

• Development Marketplace Photography Contest 2007 award winning
• ECCA-Nepal Solar Tuki Slideshow and movie clip
• Development Marketplace 2005 ECCA-Nepal solar tuki project

Attachments:

• ECCA-Nepal Solar Tuki status April 2007 (DOC)

In the period of one year (till July 2006), since the commercial launching of the LIGHT FOR ALL campaign, total 3,100 solar tukis have been promoted – around 2,600 solar tuki sets have been distributed through various local groups using the micro-financing scheme through the Revolving Fund and around 500 sets have been sold directly on cash (without micro-financing).

STATUS OF REVOLVING FUND

Total of US$ 58,000 have been already received for the Revolving Fund. Partnerships have been developed with World Bank Global Development Marketplace, World Bank Nepal Development Marketplace, Global Environment Facility, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and private Nepalese companies in creating revolving fund so as to reach more number of rural households.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT

For the first time, the Nepalese Government has recognized the contribution and usage of SOLAR TUKI by declaring “ Karnali Illuminated Program ” in the fiscal year 2006/07 national budget. Under this program, 60,000 solar tuki (having minimum facility of using a radio and two lamps) will be promoted in 9 remote districts.

Links:

• http://www.ecca.org.np

Attachments:

• Solar Tuki status report-August 2006 (DOC)