Delivery mechanisms for household-based RETs - Experiences from Zatuba in Malawi

http://bambuser.com/v/2527033

Zatuba VIllage Gets Clean Energy For Lighting

Alot has happened between the last post and now.

The Sustainable Livelihood Project was launched in Zatuba Village,Malawi, in August 2010. The project started with a vision workshop which involved the people of Zatuba defining and deciding where they want to be in the next five years and thereafter. The village had to define its priorities and more importantly the legacy for their children.

The village selected community mobiliser who they felt can keep the fire burning.

The people identified access to capital as a major challenge to their development. It was also identified that the poverty was worsened by the use of unsustainable energy sources for lighting. The community used kerosene lamps for lighting. Each kerosene lamp was draining about US$6 per moth. To asssit them community save money, we distributed solar lanterns to the community at a no profit price of US$21 offering a pay back period of 3 months against a life time of 36 months at a minimum. The solar lantern were sponsored by Empower, our major partner in Australia.

In addition to saving the community money, the solar lanterns gives them high quality light compared to kerosone lamps (sometimes firewood lighting). The lanterns also saves carbon emissions as for every liter of kerosene avoided represents about 3.26kg of carbon dioxide emissions saved. Further it is expected that respiratory diseases are caused by kerosene-lamp smoke will reduce. The lanterns are indeed a demonstration of cost effective technlogies that cut across a range of Millennium Development Goals

The people have also been given training in bussiness slection and business management and access to finance has been facilitated by linking the community to one of the banks in the country.

The community's school has also been given training in permaculture.

The moto of the project is to empower the people of Zatuba from inside: Enabling them to achieve change for the better in a most sustianable manner without reliance on donations. We have always told the community " CHANGE DOES NOT COME FROM OUTSIDE, CHANGE COMES FROM WITHIN".

Is homophobia on the rise in the Commonwealth’s African member states?

This is a very complicated subject. Human rights is of paramount importance but there are some rights which kill the very fundamental moral principles of life.

The issue becomes more complicated when we are in the world where religion and all other social values co-exist. Human rights will allow all these to co-exist but the things we allow to co-exist are not symbiotic and sometimes one hardly tolerates the other.

By the end of the day it depends on who rules and who is in control and what are the values and beliefs of those in control.If those formulating human rights guidelines were/are guided by religous values and beliefs, which the human rights allow to co-exist, one would agree with me that some rights would be at very serious discretion. And it is a very big challenge if the one judging such a case in a court has religious values and beliefs but is judging using laws and guidelines which are not fully in support of his values and beliefs.

At the very end of it all, the basis of our powers is what determines which values will take lead in the end. Based on my religious principles, values and beliefs; some of the human rights exists because the world is mainly controlled by the devil. If we were to look critically at the human rights, they were supposed to foster the liberty which the creator himself wanted man and woman to enjoy on earth. That liberty has limits and that is why human rights have limits too.

If one critically analyses what other human rights and fundamental moral principles of life the gay rights torture, one would then justify whether it is proper to advocate for such or not.

In the real sense, what ever we do; it is spiritual war in the name of balancing which rights to include in the laws,sometimes mixing things which are immiscible.

In conclusion, we can allow our human rights to allow everything co-exist but the one to be taken by the majority depends on the beliefs and values of the majority and how religion and spirituality preaches for and against such rights. (personally, I hate same-sex relationships and those who do it should know that God will judge them on the last day)

other links:
http://www.thecommonwealthconversation.org/2010/01/is-homophobia-on-the-rise-in-the-commonwealths-african-member-states

RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD : A NEW PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH "EMPOWER" OF AUSTRALIA IS BORN IN MALAWI

A new project has been launched where renewable energy technologies will be installed in a community to meet the various energy needs of the people.The project is to be funded by "Empower" of Australia in partnership with Mzuzu University, Department of Energy Studies.

The project will involve solar lighting using solar lanterns and PV modules for households, schools, and health centres; biogas production from animal waste for cooking; solar and wind water pumping for clean water supply and irrigation agriculture; water harvesting technologies and drip irrigation.

The objective of the project is to demonstrate and use renewable energy technologies in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Energy poverty in Malawi is a very serious problem mainly at a domestic level in the rural areas. Women travel for an average of 10-15 kilometres to fetch firewood and this reduces the time they spend in income generating activities and family activities.

Three communities, from which one will be chosen, are currently being assessed. The communities are in Mchinji, Chikwawa and Mzimba. A vision workshop will be organised for the community which will be selected. The aim of the vision workshop is to encourage a participatory approach and empower the people so that we take aboard their problems and their suggested solutions to the energy problems they meet.

Small scale loans will also be provided to the community members for small business enterprises.

othher links: http://empowerprojects.org/ http://www.cscuk.org.uk/news/news.asp

SOLAR WATER HEATER FROM LOCALLY AVAILABLE MATERIALS IN MALAWI

A product of the then Polytechnic for Rural Electrification Project (POREP), a research group which I led as an Executive Director from 2004-2006. In the picture it is Collen explaining to the then Deputy Minister of Energy at Madziabango clinic in Chikwawa district where the system was donated.

With about K70,000 (£300) you can have this solar water heater providing 140 litres of hot water at about 70 degrees throughout the day. The tank is 70 litres but it can provide more than this because of thermosyphonic cycles depending on how you utilise it.The system can also be mounted on roofs hence improving its security. It is simple and robust.

BIOGAS PROJECT PICTURES

TIPS THAT ASSIST REDUCE CARBON FOOT PRINTS AND OTHER GENERAL BEHAVIOUR TIPS

ENERGY TIPS

• Switch ON lights only when it is necessary e.g. remember to switch off lights when leaving the toilet
• Switch OFF a hot plate as soon as the water boils---the additional heat does not add to any temperature rise of your water but rather boiling off your water
• Always move with a torch light. It is important in case your electricity goes off
• Switch OFF your computer if you will be away for more than ten minutes
• Make sure you use much of natural light…keeping windows/curtains open may prevent you from using electricity lighting during the day…building designs should also take this into consideration

BEHAVIOUR TIPS

• Remember to carry a tissue with you when travelling
• Avoid holding somebody on a phone for so long
• If you are on a long call, hold on for some time, serve your visitor or a friend on your desk and carry on with the phone call
• Print on both sides of paper unless otherwise specified
• Avoid chewing anything you see boring to you e.g. papers
• Avoid sticking a chewed bubblegum besides your working desk
• Do not carry your cell phone in your trousers-rear pocket , neither should you carry it in your shirt upper pocket; chances are high that you will break it when sitting or lose it when bending/bowing
• Using an elevator rather than the stairs-case is another security tip—robbers may sometimes hide behind the stair cases
• A bottle of water when travelling may assist you
• Do not turn your radio to full volume, you can not hear some strange sounds within your vicinity…it is for your security
• Do not drink hot tea/coffee from a metal cup neither should you carry hot food in a metal plate—you will be burnt
• A set of a small knife with a bottle opener may be necessary in your pocket. Do not use teeth to open a bottle
• Remember to save at least one number in your cell phone as “in case of emergency (IoE). This gives your rescuers in an emergence which number they should call.
• Avoid going to bed without any airtime in your cell phone—this is an important tip for risk and disaster preparedness, the same applies to fuel in your vehicle—an mount of money for a taxi from your home to a hospital or nearest bank can also assist you
• Do not switch OFF your cell phone at night---your services may be important to someone’s life even at night
• A child in the hands of a mother or any person when travelling in a vehicle is not safe. Kids need a comfortable sit with a seat belt fastened and child locked-doors. Stop your kids from protruding their heads or hands in vehicle windows

WATER TIPS

• 
  Use a pail when washing your vehicle and not a horse pipe…you can reduce your water bills. The same applies to washing your clothes and kitchen utensils
• People who wash using a bath tab use more water than people who use a shower. But remember to turn on the shower only when it is necessary
• Rather use a cup when brushing your teeth than a running tap.
• Do not just throw anything that bores you in a toilet….consider the amount of water you use to flash that simple thing….it is an expensive way
• Do not just throw way your washing water away, it may be useful for flashing your toilets in case your water supply is off
• Try to collect rain water from your roof using your pails. This can serve a purpose or two and reduce your water bills
  

ENVIRONMENTAL TIPS

• Two bins dust bins, one for plastics and another one for biodegradable materials, may be important for an organisation
• If you have a tendency of throwing bottles out a vehicle when travelling, better throw your bottle near to a dwelling place….some people may find this useful say for buying paraffin and this is simple recycling
• Do not just throw litter any where, a small plastic bag can save you up to the next bin point
• Take off the label of any plastic bottle you want to throw away…vendors like thrown labelled bottles for fake products.
• Wrap a chewed bubblegum in a small paper before throwing it way---you save some people from being stack with it
• Do not urinate on walls…use public paying toilets nearest to you
• Know your digestive system well, this will assist you in planning what type of food you should take when going for long journeys in public transport….avoid taking too much of liquid foods during long journeys.