The GEF Strategic Project: An HLF South Asia Program
GEF Strategic Launched
A Global Environment Strategic Facility (GEF) supported project called: Consolidation and Expansion of innovative RET promotion and dissemination approaches for outreach to vulnerable populations, has been made available through UNOPS has been launched on October with partners in three South Asia Regional countries, namely The Himalayan Light Foundation (HLF) in Nepal , (the lead NGO), Sewalanka Foundation in Sri Lanka, and two partners in India, Jagriti of Himanchal Pradesh and CRTC Arunachal region department respectively.
MOU’s Signed
HLF entered into Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with several partners to make this program possible including the Central Tibetan Relief Committee which manages poverty reduction affairs of Tibetan refugee colonies in Arunachal India. Arunachal India is one of the most recent additions to the Solar Sisters destination countries made possible by this GEF Strategic Fund activity set. The MOU calls for cooperation between the CTRC and HLF to launch Solar Sisters in far remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh for schools, monasteries, health posts and community centers. The chief advisor of HLF, Mr. Adam Friedensohn traveled to this far remote area to survey and determine potential sites for solar sisters volunteers to visit to give their assistance of provision of small solar lighting and power systems for village community activities.
The data collected about the beneficiaries in this remote colony will soon be posted on the HLF web site under > Programs> Solar Sisters> select by country “India” or Click here.
An initial system was installed in a very far remote area school in Payingdem near Tuting in Arunachal. This new area may be called “SSP Extreme Solar” in order to attract the necessary adventure seekers required to travel to these farthest remote areas to provide their philanthropic support to these deserving communities.
A second MOU was signed during the South Asia Regional NGO Consortium Nepal meeting in June of 2007 held in Kathmandu, between HLF and Jagriti of Himanchal Pradesh, (HP). Jagriti serves the Kullu region of HP and was eager to commence collaboration with HLF for the development of Solar Sisters for Himanchal Pradesh. The MOU forms the basis for the second partner to join the HLF team during this Strategic Program period.
Jagriti will soon make its data available for potential sits in Kullu valley a most spectacular area for trekking and for helping villagers get out of the dark all at the same time!
In addition to Jagriti, another MOU was signed between the Young Star Club and HLF for the implementation of Solar Powered Ozone Water Treatment (SPOWTS™) plant installations along the Everest Trekking circuit area. This program which strategically combines RET use along with poverty and pollution reduction is supported in part by the Thematic Trust Fund (TTF) by UNDP with HLF as the lead organization, AEPC as the Nepal Government facilitating organization and Young Star Club as the field partner and community mobilization coordinator.
Another working relation was entered into between HLF and the Himalayan Natural Fiber Foundation. Further meetings continued with the potential partner Himalayan Natural Fiber Foundation concerning expansion of the HELP™ program in Nepal. As the program has no special allotment of funds for the solar portion of HELP™ locally, it was determined by HLF and the Himalayan Fiber that a proposal would be drafted for funding and support of the intended HELP™ program to be implemented in their working area Sankhuwashabha. HLF has been exploring the possible contacts and donors for the funding and proposal will be forwarded to the possible donors as soon as the proposal gets ready.
For more information, please click the on the following links:
http://sgp.undp.org/web/projects/4085/solar_village
_electrification_demonstration_project.html http://sgp.undp.org/web/projects/4882/paper_and_power_project.html http://sgp.undp.org/web/projects/10826/consolidation_and_expansion_of_innovative_
ret_promotion_and_dissmination_approaches_for_outreach_to_.html
Program Links