Solar Lamps and Colonias in Reynosa
Posted on Nov 8th, 2007
by 
FLOW
FLOW
My November FLOW Newsletter highlights the solar lamp being developed by the John Ernest Foundation. This solar lamp, designed to replace kerosene use in poor households, currently retails for $55 in India. They seek to get it down to $25 by summer 2008 and $15 by summer 2009 in order to make it accessible to an ever-increasing percentage of the 1.7 billion people who don't have access to electricity.
In the meantime, I've been advising an Austin-based church group on entrepreneurial projects for a community they are helping in a Reynosa colonia. They have helped build about 20 homes in the colonia and, on Nov. 24th, will be holding a "Grand Opening" for a water tower and bath house that they helped build in the community (all projects involve a combination of local labor and Austin labor, all volunteer). They are now considering businesses to start to provide jobs in the colonia. At present, many of the people in the colonia consist of poor women and children, left behind as the men cross into the U.S. to get a job here. Among the businesses they are considering building is a manufacturing plant for the solar lamp described above, to introduce it into the Mexican market. Let me know if anyone is interested in helping with this project or replicating it elsewhere.
In the meantime, I've been advising an Austin-based church group on entrepreneurial projects for a community they are helping in a Reynosa colonia. They have helped build about 20 homes in the colonia and, on Nov. 24th, will be holding a "Grand Opening" for a water tower and bath house that they helped build in the community (all projects involve a combination of local labor and Austin labor, all volunteer). They are now considering businesses to start to provide jobs in the colonia. At present, many of the people in the colonia consist of poor women and children, left behind as the men cross into the U.S. to get a job here. Among the businesses they are considering building is a manufacturing plant for the solar lamp described above, to introduce it into the Mexican market. Let me know if anyone is interested in helping with this project or replicating it elsewhere.
Access: Public
colonias
May 2008
This is a very good start. I do hope the lamp is LED, they draw tiny amounts of power and Superbright LED's are fine for lighting.
I am also working on solar power for developing nations. I'm writing this on my solar powered, Apple PowerBook G4. My home office is solar powered. We know the key to eliminating poverty involves electricity in one form or another; solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric. Solar power provides hope to people that are fresh out.
Thanks for the update.