Hi,

Will this be a completely seperate activity within the centre, beside the computer courses, tailoring and retail of office products?

Hi!

I don't have any experience in this at all.

One person who I think does is Ken Hargesheimer - http://www.nabuur.com/modules/userinfo/userinfo_aboutme.php?uid=5266 -
and I have seen him mention this site a few times http://www.biodesign.webeden.co.uk/ as a source of information on low-cost/DIY solat technology.

Mary

Graham Knight is the one with the knowledge to help you with solar panels, etc. He mentions you and provides a link to your website, in his newsletter that arrived today.

One of the villages collected info on free programs, etc for computers and I can put them together with others and can forward it to anyone who wants it. 10 pages. Email me at minifarms@gmail.com

Here is Graham's newsletter I received today.

Sone recent correspondence has shown that some contacts think we are still normally offering pv plate!
In fact we prefer sending pv modules as they are cheap to post and all free samples have these now.

It means that the parts used to solar power one or two LEDs for a few hours each night cost a total about $4 (£2)
and of course these provide power for several years!

An interesting contact is found at www.nabuur.com where you will find information about using microsolar (DIY Solar) in their Villages. Click on Jinja Central (Uganda) > Our Project > Step 4

Mobile Charging

There has been little interest shown so far in mobile battery charging which is surprising. All you need is to assemble a simple DIY connector that fits on the battery plus a small pv panel and you can charge up for several calls under an hour - providing of course the sun is shining. So cheap and simple!

I am prepared to send a free connector sample to anyone willing to outline how they might make these chargers for people in their locality.

Entrepreneur?
Try Social Edge at http://www.socialedge.org/ and visit http://www.wiserearth.org/

Solar Aid

Do have a look at their new website http://www.solar-aid.org/ which includes information about
using the DIY Solar technique in several ways (they call it microsolar) and including South America for the first time!

I can help with farming.

Hi all,

I've finally come up for air...

Graham has provided a lot of information already:

"Main demand varies from one place to another.
Many spend their efforts solar-charging mobile phones, others, where car batteries are found, want to first charge them.
Elsewhere it might be powering ghetto blasters or solaring hurricane lamps . We have leaflets for most cases!

But I cannot dictate what is best for a group when I have no idea of their circumstances! And in the vast majority of cases they do not want to communicate despite the successes
shown at http://biodesign.webeden.co.uk - which are nearly all thanks to the efforts of UK volunteers.
Even though Solar Aid - http://solar-aid.org/ - have taken up this technique it has not galvanised people in the slightest!"

In an attempt to find out if a workshop/business can be set up in Jinja Graham has sent Paul and me a small sample (leaflet attached - DIY Demo Kit.pdf)

Next to that he presented ideas on different applications. I've attached that document as well (DDIY Simplified.pdf) although it's a bit big due to the pictures included.

DIY Demo kit B (2).pdf

DDIY Simplified.pdf

Ideas for the use of solar panels, so far:

Lights:
- Simple solar torch
- Small desk lamp (document attached)
- Oil lamp conversion: the glass bulb is removed to allow a tube holding several LEDs. NiCd cells are fitted in the base
- Lantern conversion: commercial lamps that have rechargeable batteries can be solar-charged with a PV-panel during daytime.

Other ideas:
- Mobile phone solar charging: either directly or through a car charger via 12v battery.
- charging NiCds in battery compartment: using small solar panels to charge up NiCd cells inside radio/cassette battery compartment
- a pair of 7v panels used for charging a 12v car battery, or one 7v panel for charging a 6v motor cycle battery
- charging laptops: directly to the internal battery

Many computers and TVs consume too much power for DIY solar arrays

More to come.... (i'm sure :-D)

Pelle

DIY simple lamp.pdf

example of charging a mobile phone battery:

In a few minutes you have power for a short call and in an hour is enough for quite a few calls.

Also from Graham:

For example I'm told by many clients that there is a big demand for mobile phone charging.
A battery connector parts plus pv module costs about £2 - plus postage.
If you order a number the postage cost is minimal!
They can be sold to mobile owners and make a handsome profit!!

If you also order cheap mobile batteries ($2 with similar terminals or wires)
you can power a number of LEDs whose cost is now also minimal ($1 per 4)

Question to all our neighbours in Uganda (or elsewhere in Africa): which ideas do you think are most feasible to start a business with?

Love to hear your ideas :-D

Pelle

Hello Paul
That is a good idea hope it works
Bravo Pelle

Paul/Pelle-

In doing some research for the Kayole-Soweto village, I came across information on the GEF Small Grants Program. I thought it might be worth taking a look at in light of what you are talking about with solar powered applications. I think that type of work has some relevance to the type of things they look to fund.

The website is located here (this is actually the eligibility page):

http://sgp.undp.org/index.cfm?module=ActiveWeb&page=WebPage&s=Eligibilit...

Information related to submitting projects is located here:

http://www.gefweb.org/Operational_Policies/Eligibility_Criteria/template...

The Ugandan National Coordinator can be reached:

SGP UGANDA

UNDP, 15B Clement Hill Road, P.O. Box 7184, Kampala,

Phone: (256-41) 346454/349549
Fax: (256-41) 250851/344801
Email: abubaker.wandera@undp.org
Web: http://www.smallgrants.or.ug

I hope this is helpful!

Hello Neighbours,
Thank you for the contributions yes i did get the solar torch it works well and i hope it will help if we go to business with Graham it will help people in the different areas. In Uganda 75% of the people can not afford power so if we get this type of power supply then we can get the PWDs with some income generating business as well as we are helping people from the villages also get to the power supply.
As Jennifer proposed its ok but we don't have the capital that can do business with the counter parties in Uganda.
We still need more advise on how we can keep this going.

Hi Paul

Have you done any work on looking at local markets to get an idea of likely sales and income. Also on working out setup and running costs for the business? That may be a starting point.

Also, have you had any contact with any of the other groups around Africa who have already set up successful businesses using Graham's designs? You may be able to learn a lot from what they have done, what worked well, what did not work etc.

Mary

Yes that business ideas of solar power work well and it would help much in Uganda mostly in Jinja God willingly but people needs to be trained well first so that they can train others
Thanks
Pastor Fred
www.gidcco.org

Have you contacted Graham?

Solar electricity panels: Light homes, classrooms, etc. Can power radios, TVs, computers, etc. Use to recharge batteries.
http://biodesign.webeden.co.uk; Graham Knight [English & French] ;
http://waame.sn/ (french);
Haiti - http://vssnet.org/index.html;
Benin - gawa.nu/stories/story_solar.htm;
http://ntong-benin.ifrance.com/ (french);
Malawi - http://solar-aid.org/, for videos click on 'Solar videos';
Kenya - http://kcyp.net;
Blog at http://solar-aid.org/?gclid=CKac4bfh3YkCFQnoEAodlVQSFA;
http://idrc.ca/en/ev-111741-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html;
Ghana - http://graphicghana.info/article.asp%3Fartid%3D14797+ghana+CASOLS&hl=en&... http://californiasolarcenter.org/ssh.html; http://youtube.com/watch?v=B8zEBrH2bPU;
http://youtube.com/watch?v=i6htYGp1rus; http://californiasolarcenter.org/ssh.html for schools;

Dear all,

Ken is right if this community get in touch with Graham, it can solve problems related to the electricity.

Warmly
From Buterere Community

Hi Ken & Jean Claude,

You're right... we should work things out together with Graham.

In fact we're in touch already, but this line of ideas has come to a standstill due to the other initiatives we're working on :-(

Thanks for checking in anyway.

Pelle