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NW Tanzania Micro Solar Energy Project
OVERVIEW
Globally, 1.6 billion people live without access to electricity. The poorest people on Earth are estimated spend collectively $20-30 billion on kerosene annually. This reliance on kerosene severely compromises their health, economic status, ability to learn after dark and damages the environment (through burning wood and kerosene)
Carbon Community Foundation (CCF) ( has a mission to enable households in off-grid villages to gain access to ultra-affordable, clean, micro solar energy lighting and phone charging.
Our business model is to provide the initial funding into the supply chain (from the importer to the retailer) to enable villagers to switch their expenditure from kerosene, batteries and candles to a micro solar energy asset which will transform household and village life.
CCF has partnered with BRAC, the development agency of the Anglican Church of Tanzania to facilitate the distribution and sale of micro solar panels and LED lights to villages in NW Tanzania, East Africa. These villages have no access to electricity. Any lighting comes from kerosene lamps which are dangerous, polluting and expensive to operate.
Children in these villages have little or no opportunity to study or read after dark and up to 20% of household income is spent on kerosene purchases.
CCF has provided the funding to enable BRAC staff to sell and distribute the lighting products. This has involved a process of demonstrating the benefits of solar energy to the villagers and encouraging them to switch their expenditure from kerosene to solar energy.
 Solar power lighting is safer than kerosenePROJECT OUTCOMES
More than 10 villages have been exposed to the existence and benefits of solar energy, and more than 500 people have experienced the benefits of solar energy.
An additional revenue stream has been established for BRAC which will enable them to provide additional help and services to the communities they serve.
Funds received through the product sales have been returned to CCF in Australia to enable a further funding cycle to proceed, delivering more lights into the supply chain. Thus a sustainable business and supply chain is being established.
PROJECT BENEFITS
Based on research and outcomes from other similar projects we expect that the following benefits will be delivered by this project.
- There is a reduction in respiratory health problems as the air quality inside villagers' huts is markedly improved with little or no kerosene being used.
- There is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to reduced use of kerosene and firewood.
- Children (and adults) can greatly extend their reading and learning as they get access to higher quality light after dark.
- The economic fortunes of vilagers will be dramatically improved as eliminating the continual expenditure on kerosene will save a household significant amounts. Importantly, these savings can be directed to things such as education, better food, assets for starting/improving businesses, health and medicenes etc
- There is an improvement in household safety as eliminating kerosene means less explosions, fires and burn injuries.
NEXT STEPS
There are many more households in the villages served by BRAC that would benefit from solar energy. We plan to continue to support BRAC's efforts to distribute more products and aim to enable another 750 lights to be sold within the next 12 months.
 Solar allows this woman to weave baskets at night
Pilot Project in Seeta Nazigo, Uganda
We have recently embarked on an exciting pilot project in Uganda. Carbon Community has received some donated seed funding to enable a pilot project to be established. 20 sets of our solar light and phone charging kits have been sent to a small village in central Uganda called Seeta Nazigo, which is a beautiful but very poor village in a rural area located south-east of Kampala.
The region has no electricity and therefore kerosene lamps are used for light. This kind of lighting is expensive, flammable and can cause serious respiratory problems. Having access to clean, renewable light will make a huge difference to the lives of people in Seeta Nazigo. Homes will be lit up, activities and work after dark can safely continue, students will gain more study hours and health dangers from kerosene will be eliminated.
Our solar lamps will be distributed to 10 families, as well as to the village primary school. A mixture of the mobile, family and power pack lamps have been sent. The aim of the pilot project is to introduce solar lighting to the town, and to assess the reactions and responses to the lamps. We hope to send many more lamps to the village in the near future and our aim is to help local businesses have the ability to eventually sell the lamps themselves through our microfinance initiatives thereby establishing financially self sustaining micro enterprises .
PROJECT BENEFITS
Based on research and outcomes from other similar projects including Tanzania (see above) we expect that many benefits will be delivered by this project.
We are extremely excited and optimistic about this project and would greatly appreciate any donations which will assist us to send more lights to Seeta Nazigo and to continue to make a huge difference to the lives of many!
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| Project benefits
Based
on research and outcomes from other similar projects we expect that the
following benefits will be delivered by this project:
There
is a reduction in respiratory health problems as the air quality inside
villagers' huts is markedly improved with little or no kerosene being
used.
There is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions due to reduced use of kerosene and firewood.
Children (and adults) can greatly extend their reading and learning as they get access to higher quality light after dark.
The
economic fortunes of vilagers will be dramatically improved as
eliminating the continual expenditure on kerosene will save a household
significant amounts. Importantly, these savings can be directed to
things such as education, better food, assets for starting/improving
businesses, health and medicenes etc
There is an improvement in household safety as eliminating kerosene means less explosions, fires and burn injuries.
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