Reports Database

“Kopernik connected Q Drums with 30 families in Oecusse, working with a local partner, Centro Feto Enclave Oecusse (CFEO). Kopernik Fellows Michael Woon (October 2010 – January 2011) and Sally Bolton (January – June 2011) conducted the impact assessment.

Oecusse is an isolated enclave on the north coast of Timor, bordered by the Indonesian territory of West Timor. Approximately 45 percent of Oecusse’s population of 64,000 live below the poverty line. Almost every household in the enclave reports that there is at least one month each year when they do not have enough food to eat.

In January 2011, Centro Feto staff interviewed all of the 30 people who had purchased a Q Drum to create a baseline. They returned to conduct follow up surveys with each person after they had been using the Q Drum for one and a half to two months. People paid US$10 for a Q Drum, in four monthly instalments of US$2.50. The families who bought Q Drums live on around US$2 per day on average.

The Q-Drum is a rollable water drum designed to ease the daily burden of collecting water. The durable, donut-shaped plastic container has a capacity of 50 litres (13 gallons).”

“We connected 180 d.light S250 solar lights with people in Galinggang, an off-grid village on the banks of the Katingan river in Central Kalimantan. We partnered with Yayasan Puter Indonesia to make the solar lights available to buy in instalments.

Six months after people began using the solar lights, Kopernik Fellow Reisky Handika visited Galinggang to explore the impact of the technology on people’s lives. This impact assessment report is a result of Reisky’s work in the field in Galinggang from September to November 2013.”

“Kopernik connected 200 d.light S250 solar lanterns with families in Biqueli village on Atauro Island, Timor Leste, in partnership with Move Forward (MF), a local NGO. Three out of four sub-villages in Biqueli have no access to electricity. These off-grid communities rely on kerosene lamps, flashlights, and candles at night. In the sub-village where electricity is available, access is limited to six hours per day and blackouts are frequent.

Kopernik first brought solar lights to Atauro in 2011, working with a local partner Roman Luan. The second solar light project on the island was in response to strong demand for more of this technology.

MF distributed 200 units of the d.light in July 2012. Demand exceeded supply, so the village leaders compiled a list of interested customers and prioritised families who had no access to electricity or solar lighting. The lights were sold at the same subsidised price as the first solar light project in 2011 and all customers paid in a single transaction.”

“We connected 408 d.light solar lights with some of the poorest communities in Oriental Mindoro, in the rural Philippines, working with our local partner, the Gelacio I. Yason Foundation Family Farm School Inc (GIYF-FFS). In this region, 80 percent of households have no access to electricity. These off-grid communities are keen to switch from kerosene and candles to a brighter, cheaper, and cleaner light source. In towns the electricity supply is expensive and unreliable, further driving demand for solar lights.

GIYF-FFS received the solar lights in March and April 2012, and sold them through their office, sales agents, product stalls, and during regular family visits. Customers were given the option to pay in installments, but all opted to pay in full at the time of purchase. GIYF-FFS staff who bought solar lights could elect to deduct installments from their salary.

Emily McQualter, a Kopernik fellow conducted an impact assessment of this project. She worked with GIYF-FFS to survey solar light users over one week in June 2012. At that time, 165 d.light solar lights had been sold. Of the 82 people surveyed, 25 lived in off-grid households.”

“The Light Up Sulawesi impact assessment was conducted by Kopernik fellow, Syarifah Amelia, between June and August 2015. This project distributed 50 d.light S300 solar lights in Soppeng district, South Sulawesi from October 2013 to October 2014 in partnership with Asosiasi Pedagang Kaki Lima Indonesia (APKLI). The project originally aimed to target people in villages who had no access to electricity. However, during the impact assessment it was discovered that the targeted villages had gained access to electricity during the crowdfunding and technology procurement process. Therefore, in the end, the distribution plan had to be adjusted accordingly.”

“This impact assessment of d.light solar lights was conducted in Oecusse enclave, Timor-Leste, from May to July 2013. It has been found that the distribution of d.lights in off-the-grid villages in what is Timor-Leste’s poorest and most isolated district is an extremely worthwhile initiative. D.lights offer many immediate benefits in terms of light quality, thus enhancing the activities that take place under them, including work in the home, agricultural labor in the fields, foraging on the tidal flats, and running businesses from home. They also usher in a series of positive flow-on effects resulting primarily from considerable savings due to reduction or elimination of kerosene purchases, savings that range from 15 percent to 50 percent of disposable income. Despite some concerns about d.light battery life and reparability, these are relatively minor in the mind of those that own d.lights. Local users clearly recognise the superiority of d.lights over the existing lighting configuration of kerosene lamps, torches and candles, hence they are highly coveted. Supply has not been able to keep pace with demand, therefore an intensified distribution of d.lights for the district is recommended.”

“Kopernik, in partnership with Fundasaun Esperanza Enclave Oecusse (FEEO) made 2,339 more solar lights available in Oecusse in the third phase of the Light Up Oecusse project, 1,316 d.light S250 and 1,023 d.light S10 solar lanterns. Kopernik also teamed up with d.light to design and conduct a training workshop for all FEEO staff members to master maintenance and repair skills for d.light products.

Kopernik Fellow Fita Arief went to Oecusse in early 2012 to monitor the project’s progress and conduct impact surveys.

Oecusse is an isolated enclave on the north coast of Timor, bordered by the Indonesian territory of West Timor. Approximately 45 percent of Oecusse’s population of 64,000 live below the poverty line. Almost every household in the enclave reports that there is at least one month each year when they do not have enough food to eat.

Lighting in Oecusse is a pressing problem. Very few people have access to electricity. At the time Kopernik launched the Light Up Oecusse project, 92 percent of households relied on fuel-powered kerosene or gas lamps for light because there was no other option. Aside from the negative health effects of kerosene smoke, the cost of kerosene in Timor-Leste’s rural areas is almost double the cost in urban areas, further marginalizing the most vulnerable communities.”

“Kopernik sent 992 d.light solar lights to Oecusse, Timor-Leste and worked with its local partner, Fundasaun Esperanza Enclave Oecusse (FEEO) to ensure these solar lights reached remote villages in the enclave.

Kopernik Fellow Michael Woon (October 2010 – January 2011) designed a baseline lighting survey, and worked with the FEEO team to implement it. Sally Bolton (January – June 2011) took over the baseline survey from Michael, and worked with FEEO to complete a follow-up survey.

Oecusse is an isolated enclave on the north coast of Timor bordered by the Indonesian territory of West Timor. Very few people in Oecusse have access to electricity and 92 percent of households rely on fuel-powered lamps (mainly kerosene) for light. FEEO staff conducted baseline surveys with 258 people who purchased solar lights. Follow up surveys were conducted with 55 people who had participated in the baseline survey. Typically surveys were conducted after people had been using solar lights for between two and four and a half months.”

“Since November 2014, Kopernik in partnership with Community Development Centre (CDC), has delivered over 200 d.light solar lights to last mile communities in rural India as a part of the Light Up Madhya Pradesh project. This project is ongoing and will distribute a further 100 solar lights to households, making a total of 306 solar lights at the project’s completion.

In June 2015, Kopernik Fellow, Philip Murphy conducted an impact assessment with the primary objective of identifying and measuring the effects of solar lights on the lives of people located in the last mile. This assessment involved interviewing 50 solar light users (25 percent of the total user population) and working directly with the local partner, CDC, to collect data.”

“Kopernik distributed 205 d.light S250 solar lanterns in Kenya’s Western Province in 2012 through a partnership with Action for Child Development Trust (ACDT). Kakamega and Busia counties encompass towns connected to an electricity grid and rural areas without access to electricity. There is a strong demand for solar lanterns in towns, where the electricity supply is unreliable, and villages, where people want to switch from kerosene to a brighter, cheaper and cleaner light source.

This impact assessment was conducted over three weeks in April and May 2013. Aided by ACDT, the information was collected from (i) 30 face-to-face interviews, (ii) field observations, and (iii) immersion in the local environment.

ACDT used its connections with local schools to market the solar lanterns. The lights were sold to individuals, community groups and one school on a first come, first served basis. Individuals paid a subsidised price in a one-off payment, while community groups paid market price and resold the lanterns offering payment in instalments.”

“Kopernik made 204 d.light S250 solar lights available to communities in remote parts of Atauro Island, Timor-Leste. Kopernik Fellow, Rob Weiss conducted a 3-week assessment of d.light solar light distribution by local partner Roman Luan. Rob, with the assistance of bilingual (English-Tetum) Roman Luan staff, took a ‘cluster sampling’ approach and conducted 33 interviews with people from 3 random villages, Makili, Beloi and Makedadi.”

“The Government of Indonesia is facing significant challenges to provide electricity to its population due to geographic and financial constraints. Off-grid solutions provide the potential for electrification in remote and sparsely populated areas. Solar lanterns are one example of an alternative lighting device for domestic consumption in remote communities.

This report was created as part of Columbia University‟s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) Workshop in Development Practice. The project was undertaken by the request of the client, Kopernik, who is currently implementing a solar lantern project in 3 villages in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The project is being executed in partnership with the local NGO, Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF). The objective of the report is to identify the need and initial impact of solar lanterns in 3 remote river communities.”

“Indonesia’s rural population faces significant challenges in accessing cooking fuels. The use of open fires and inefficient cookstoves degrades the environment as well as causes detrimental health effects for households. Poor households face substantial time and cost burdens from purchasing or collecting wood to use with traditional cooking methods. Additionally, the Indonesian government’s progressive reduction in kerosene subsidies
makes it more challenging to afford kerosene. Access to clean drinking water is also a challenge for rural and poor communities. Rural development challenges combined with Indonesian gender norms result in a lack of sufficient income generating opportunities for women.

Kopernik works to address critical development challenges through the distribution of lowcost, life-changing technologies to rural communities. In September 2011, Kopernik introduced the UB.03-1 Biomass Cookstove and Nazava Water Filter to selected communities on the island of Lombok, Indonesia. Kopernik disseminates the technologies through Pekka, its local partner organization. Through this partnership, women become
“Technology Agents” by selling the biomass cookstoves and water filters on a consignment basis. This program is intended to not only introduce the technologies to poor communities, but also to provide an income generating opportunity for poor women without the burden of taking on debt or risk. As of April 2012, 280 biomass cookstoves and 30 water filters were sold.”

“Kopernik partnered with local NGO, Haritika to distribute Greenway Smart Stoves in Madhya Pradesh, India. The cook stoves were made available at a subsidized rate of Rs.500 (US$9). Those from lower income families were given the option of paying this amount in installments. More than 80% of customers live on a monthly income below Rs.6,000 (US$108).

The Greenway Smart Stove has had a positive impact on peoples lives:

• 65% said it now took less than 1 hour to collect firewood (whereas initially only 12% of respondents took less than one hour to collect wood for the chulha); and
• 74% of customers rated the stove as “useful” or “very useful”.

The users particularly enjoyed the stove’s:

• ease of use (70%);
• increased speed of preparing food (10%);
• using less firewood and emitting noticeably less smoke than the chulha (20%).

One of the limitations of the stove that has been identified is its size when used in larger families of nine or more members. The customers pointed out that cooking pots for the family of this size tend to be too large to fit on top of the stove.”

“Kopernik introduced drip irrigation to 55 households in Kechla, India. Kechla and the surrounding communities are located in rural Orissa (an eastern state of India) in the KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) triangle known to be one of the poorest areas in India. We partnered with AuroMira Service Society (AMSS), a Delhi-based NGO to deliver the Driptech micro-chip irrigation system. Drip irrigation targets water specifically to crop roots, minimizing the use of limited water supplies and maximizing crop yields. Its benefits are particularly meaningful for farmers in Orissa state who have historically irrigated dry season crops by hand and juggle multiple jobs to sustain a basic living.”

“The Drink Up Bobonaro project in Timor-Leste started in August 2014 when Kopernik partnered with local partner, Hemetin Asaun Dezenvolvimento Edukasaun no Ekonomia Rural (HADEER), to distribute 480 Nazava water filters in Bobonaro district. The Nazava ceramic water filters remove microorganisms from the water and reduce the level of harmful chemicals, such as pesticides and chlorine. After filtration, the water is safe to drink and has a pleasant taste.

In June 2015 while the distribution was still ongoing, a Kopernik fellow, Imelda Wang, visited Maliana in Timor-Leste to conduct an impact assessment. By conducting household surveys, she identified the impact of the use of water filters on the lives of people who bought them. The impact assessment involved interviews with 54 water filter buyers (from a total of 115 buyers when this report was composed).”

“In Wales, between 300 and 350 people die from suicide each year. While causes of suicides are complex, we do know that there are factors which increase the risk for specific groups and individuals. These factors include poor mental health, deprivation, gender and alcohol misuse.

Suicide is now the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK, with 76% of all suicides in 2014 being men. Men are four times more likely to die by suicide than women in the UK and in Wales; the rate is at its highest since 1981. In 2014, 81% of all suicides in Wales were by men.

The link between socio-economic deprivation and increased risk of suicide is well established. Previous academic studies have shown us, for example, that men from the lowest socioeconomic group living in the most deprived areas are at greater risk of suicide than those in the most affluent group living in the most affluent areas. Every local area in Wales has a unique geography, economy, and population. It follows that a profile of deprivation and associated suicide risk will also vary between local populations.

The breadth of complex factors involved in suicide risk highlights the need for multi-agency and cross-governmental action. This is not a single task for any particular organisation or sector in isolation. It is instead, a local and national imperative and one that should be seen as a major and urgent priority in the national public health agenda in Wales. We must be able to give people the best chance to turn their lives around when they are struggling.

In Wales, we work to reduce suicide across our nation. We reach out to high risk groups and communities, we work in partnership with prisons, schools, hospitals and rail staff and we engage with Welsh Government and the National Assembly to influence policy and legislation.”

“Thread builds responsible, transparent supply chains from Ground to Good™. We invest heavily in the first mile of our supply chains – the individuals and areas where plastic bottles are picked up from the ground. The first mile of supply chains is an area often ignored and as a result, this portion of supply chains tend to cause ecological and human harm.

A recently released McKinsey report (see fig. 1) showed that supply chains are responsible for more than 90% of the environmental impact of products, leaving less than 10% of direct environmental impact in the hands of consumers.

Thread has also found that enormous opportunity for social impact exists in the first mile of supply chains. Often, the work at this stage is informal, unregulated, and difficult to monitor. The individuals involved are constantly evolving, making it difficult to track exactly who is responsible for the collection of raw materials. While there is a movement among apparel brands to become increasingly transparent and publicly list their suppliers, many brands are only able to list their tier 1 and maybe tier 2 suppliers. The places where goods are cut and sewn, or perhaps where the fabric is finished.

Textile supply chains are long and complicated. Before a fabric is finished, it must go through several processing steps and vendors who extrude, spin, knit and weave fibers together before it is dyed and finished. At Thread, we are proud to not only publicly list every vendor we work with to create our fabric, but the individuals who pick up the bottles that make our fabric as well. Until this level of transparency is commonplace, and this understanding of the first mile of supply chains ubiquitous across industries, social and environmental harm will continue. We cannot fix what we don’t know. It is time for us to know.”

“Fair for You is a registered charity which makes loans to low income households through its lending subsidiary, Fair for You Enterprise CIC. The lending subsidiary is a form of social enterprise, which began making unsecured loans for the purchase of household items available from its ‘online high street’ in December 2015. The loan product provides a real alternative for people who would otherwise have to use high cost lenders, particularly rent to own stores such as BrightHouse, PerfectHome and Buy as You View.”

“What does the STP do?

• It helps Aberdeen City residents (aged 55 years and over who can’t use regular public transport) to improve and maintain their quality of life
• It does this by helping them access health and social care in the city
• It provides a door-to-door, more accessible service, charged at a maximum return fare of £3.00 to the person and travelling and no additional cost for a carer who travel with them”