Dowser » Multimedia http://dowser.org The Site for Solution Journalism Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:23:30 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 The Site for Solution Journalism Dowser no The Site for Solution Journalism Dowser » Multimedia http://dowser.org/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://dowser.org/category/multimedia/ A Business In A Beehive http://dowser.org/a-business-in-a-beehive/ http://dowser.org/a-business-in-a-beehive/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:24:49 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=15609
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Bees. More specifically, African Bees. They’re probably not the first, or even the fifth thing that comes to mind when you think of poverty alleviation. Yet these little insects are causing a stir, and the raw honey they produce is playing a role in lifting thousands of rural farmers out of poverty in East Africa. # #

Honey Care Africa is a Kenyan based social enterprise which for the past 11 years has brought modern honey production methods to East Africa, built a local market supply and demand for honey, and provided more than 15,000 rural farmers with an simple, gender equal, income generating opportunity. They’ve also achieved something even more remarkable. They’ve done it, for the most part, profitably. #

Honey Care Africa’s farmers, who receive the “business in a beehive” package to help get them started, on average earn between 10,000-20,000 Kenyan Shillings per year ($120-$250) depending on the amount of hives they have, for less than 30 minutes of work per week. Considering most of these farmers earn less than $2 per day on average, the additional income, according to farmers, is well worth the investment. Additionally, some of Honey Care’s best bee farmers have gone on to earn a small income training other farmers in their areas. #

The company is currently working to scale the business, and begin a transformation to turn honey from a “luxury good” into a nutritional supplement and daily dietary staple, because of its micronutrients. It's "nature's perfect immune system booster", says Honey Care Africa's CEO Madison Ayer. They are also starting to market their products to the base of the economic pyramid- essentially creating a “closed loop” BoP business model. #]]> http://dowser.org/a-business-in-a-beehive/feed/ 3 Sanitation In A Bag http://dowser.org/sanitation-in-a-bag/ http://dowser.org/sanitation-in-a-bag/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:18:45 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=15025

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“They call me ‘Mama Poo’” Anne told me matter-of-factly as we strolled through a dusty pathway in Silanga, a small neighborhood in the expansive Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. “And I like that,” she added. # #

Anne Nudge is a Sales Representative for Peepoople AB, a Swedish social enterprise that, last October, launched a pilot project in Silanga, marketing and selling “The Peepoo"-- a single-use, personal toilet that sanitizes human waste quickly, preventing it from contaminating the surrounding environment. After just a few weeks, the bag transforms the waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer. #

The Peepoo bags, which sell at a subsidized (by PeePoople) cost of three Kenyan Shillings each (four cents), are used at home, then returned to one of two “drop off” points where customers get a one Ksh refund/incentive for returning the bags. #

While treated bags may seem a rudimentary, even crude form of sanitation, looking at the alternatives make the solution seem a little less far fetched. The first option for many slum dwellers are the overcrowded, unsanitary, and often unsafe public toilets- simple elevated wooden or tin shacks with holes in the floor- which breed disease and sometimes serve up to 300, even 500 households. #

The second, and less attractive option, are “flying toilets," tiny grocery bags that, after usage, are carelessly thrown into the street or alley, where it seeps back into the ground. #

The Peepoo solution is quite simple, and for PeePoople’s Co-Founder Camilla Wirseen, the choice is clear. You can keep it at home, use it anywhere with relative ease, and it actually strictly adheres to the World Health Organization's definition of sanitation- isolating waste from humans, isolating it from flies and animals, and inoculating the pathogens before it returns to environment. #

With a recent grant of 1.6 Million Euros, PeePoople will now be able to expand its reach to new neighborhoods all across Kibera.  Though it may sound strange to some, a simple green and white bag might just be one of the most viable, immediate, and affordable sanitation options on the market for the millions of people confined to slums across the globe. #

At least for now. #]]> http://dowser.org/sanitation-in-a-bag/feed/ 2 The Greenest Gas Station In The United States http://dowser.org/the-greenest-gas-station-in-the-united-states/ http://dowser.org/the-greenest-gas-station-in-the-united-states/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:25:01 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=15462 Every Thursday, thanks to a content partnership with brother-sister duo Journey of Action, we'll be exploring Gen Y changemakers--and how they fit in with the rest of the world. #



Picture five million barrels of oil. #

That’s how much was dumped into the Gulf of Mexico in spring 2010, in the largest oil spill in history. #

Environmental devastation is only one reason why many social change activists are protesting what they see as America’s dependency on fossil fuels. In the developing world, oil is often a catalyst for political corruption. In Nigeria, for example, a profitable but foreign-owned oil industry has been linked to rising socioeconomic inequality and widespread government corruption, while providing few, if any, local benefits. #

And as anyone who’s filled up a tank recently will know, a more immediate problem is that petroleum is simply expensive. And prices don’t seem to be going down. When an oil market as tiny as Libya’s opens up, there’s a scramble to control the goods – because oil is a scarce commodity, and much of the world runs on it. #

But it doesn’t have to be that way. #

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The biofuel industry has been gaining popularity and attracting significant investor and media attention all across the US. A report released this month by independent research organization Worldwatch reveals that global biofuel production increased by 17 percent in 2010. #

In the video above, brother-and-sister Journey of Action duo were enthralled to stumble upon one of the gas stations run by biofuel marketing and retail company SeQuential, in conjunction with their production wing SeQuential Pacific Northwest. #

Founded in 2002 as a C-corp, SeQuential’s collection service goes around to local businesses throughout Oregon and Washington, purchasing waste cooking oil that would otherwise be shipped overseas by corporations or simply thrown out. SeQuential Pacific Northwest then converts the oil into biodiesel, and SeQuential distributes it through their statewide gas stations. #

Biodiesel is the only fuel to meet the EPA’s “rigorous emissions and health effect study,” as outlined by the 1990 Clean Air Act, according to the website biodiesel.com. Although biofuel does release carbon emissions into the atmosphere when burned, its production process has a lower environmental impact than petroleum. A joint study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Energy, and cited on biodiesel.com, showed that biodiesel reduces net carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere by 78.5% compared with petroleum diesel fuel. #

However, not all biofuel is green or sustainable. To ensure that their product is sustainably-produced, SeQuential uses a community-based model that relies on locally-sourced materials to limit the carbon footprint of transportation. In addition to waste oil, SeQuential uses Oregon-grown canola as feedstock. #

So why don’t all of the nation’s gas stations go green? #

Ian Hill, SeQuential’s CEO and co-founder, shared with Dowser some of the challenges faced by the biofuel industry. “We’re struggling against Big Oil,” he said. #

Hill said that the oil industry is a monopoly. As a result, he said, there are limited avenues to getting new fuel products on the market. #

Nevertheless the company is managing to sell its product by developing relationships with local or regional consumers of liquid fuel, Hill explained, “and going direct to them as much as possible – so we bypass the petroleum infrastructure entirely. That allows us to have a higher margin, and our customers save money using biodiesel so it’s a competitive advantage for them.” #

“As far as technology,” Hill said one main limitation exists: “We have a ceiling set by the availability of cooking oil, because that’s our feedstock. But if had better access to the market, we could deal with this problem.” #

Another barrier to the market has to do with vehicle incompatibility, said Hill. #

"There is essentially no cooperation with manufacturers when it comes to biodiesel. It’s a real problem. The engineering challenge for those manufacturers, in order to run vehicles on biodiesel, is minor. It’s a question of a change in attitude." he said. #

The problem has legal risks too because manufacturers say that they didn't design engines to run on biodiesel, and thereby avoid responsibility. "Our fuel has to meet top standards and if it doesn’t, we’re liable," said Hill. #

On the other hand, there is no shortage of investor interest in biofuel, including prominent ones like Willie Nelson, who is one of SeQuential’s investors. #

“We’ve been really lucky in getting the investors we’ve needed,” said Hill. “Our investors are lined up with a full-spectrum value investment – it’s not just, how fast am I getting a return on my investment. In our opinion this attitude is a problem in our current economy." #

"Our investors are looking for a triple bottom line return,” said Hill, meaning environmental and social benefits, in addition to financial ones. #

Noting the importance of the triple bottom line, Hill explained that transparency is important for SeQuential. In addition to financial reports, the company keeps reports on jobs created and the wages for those jobs, carbon reduced or offset, and petroleum offset. #

Perhaps one day, all gas stations will be the greenest gas stations ever. But it might be an uphill battle. #]]> http://dowser.org/the-greenest-gas-station-in-the-united-states/feed/ 0 The Bicycle Coffee Company: Sustainable From Bean To Cup http://dowser.org/the-bicycle-coffee-company-sustainable-from-bean-to-cup/ http://dowser.org/the-bicycle-coffee-company-sustainable-from-bean-to-cup/#comments Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:47:43 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=15409 Every Thursday, thanks to a content partnership with brother-sister duo Journey of Action, we'll be exploring Gen Y changemakers--and how they fit in with the rest of the world. #

In 2010, the United States imported 24,400,00 60-Kilogram bags of coffee. It's the second-largest importer in the world, after the European Union. #

And here is where that coffee came from. This is a heat map showing bags of coffee exported, by country, in 2010 (roll over the countries to see exact numbers in thousands of 60-kilogram bags). The top five, in order, are Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Guatemala-- all regions that share, aside from similar weather patterns, developing economies. Coffee is the second-most valuable commodity exported from developing countries, after oil. #

However, the majority of coffee that you see on supermarket shelves is sold at a steep markup that increases the profits of the company selling it to you, without helping the farmer who grew the beans and harvested them under the hot sun. #

By now, most people have heard of "fair trade." But the real-life, on-the-ground effects of the model are often overlooked. So here's a quick breakdown of what fair trade really means: #

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Rather than rely on the fluctuating, often low prices that the global commodity market tends to offer,  Fair Trade International (FLO) guarantees farmers a minimum per-pound price for their product. That means they can sell beans into a market that promises them a "fair" price, which right now for coffee in the United States is $1.40 a pound, and five cents above market price if the conventional market surpasses the fair trade price. Here are detailed fair trade standards for the United States. #

On the whole, it's widely praised not only because it boosts impoverished farmers' income and marks a small step toward equalizing the very imbalanced global economy, but also because it frees up resources for the greater communities in which farmers live. #

By earning a better price for their crop, farmers are often able to afford goods and services that are considered necessities in the developed world, but are still a form of luxury in developing economies—such as the ability to send children to school. #

Fair trade can also involve companies reinvesting in the community in the form of development projects that benefit entire towns or villages, not just individual families. Because fair trade companies are often built upon principles of providing a quality product to the consumer while also benefiting the product's origin community, you'll often see that kind of reinvestment being made to build a school, recreation center, or even a hospital, for example, or to help with other needs identified by the community. #

Fair trade really established itself in the world marketplace through coffee, but has since expanded to other foods—chocolate, tea, bananas, and some spices are among the most common—as well as to non-edible goods like artisan-made clothing and jewelry. #

Critics' main qualm is that Fair Trade, at least for the coffee industry, doesn't live up to the theory behind its model. They argue that little data exists about its actual results; that their model overlooks multinational companies that may treat producers well; that regulations restrict Fair Trade to small farmers and overlook the poorest segment--migrant laborers; that price standardization, coupled with a rising market price for commodity coffee, often results in  low-quality Fair Trade coffee. The farmers sell their high-quality goods on the commodity market, and leave the dregs for the Fair Trade price - which, in turn, roasters don't want to buy. #

"Fair Trade coffee has evolved from an economic and social justice movement to largely a marketing model for ethical consumerism," said Peter Giuliano, president of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and a green coffee buyer based in Durham, North Carolina. #

One solution to the discrepancies? Cut out the middle man, and purchase beans directly from farmers you've visited. #

That's the approach for the young founders of the Bicycle Coffee Co., which delivers coffee to local businesses that is not only fair trade, but is also organic and locally-roasted. They purchase from farmers they met on travels through Central and South America. And they make their zero-emissions deliveries by bike. #

The company has further advantages over other fair trade companies because with minimal overhead costs, it can sell its coffee at the same price as its non-fair trade competitors. That means a consumer does not have to make the choice to spend a premium for a fairly-traded product. (Although to be fair to consumers, at least one study has shown that such a premium does not stop customers from choosing the fair trade option, even if it's more expensive, and even during the recession.) #

Ultimately, its founders aim to build a "micro-replicable business" that's easy to sustain from city to city. Check out the video to see how they're doing it. #

Additional reporting by Blair Hickman #

#]]> http://dowser.org/the-bicycle-coffee-company-sustainable-from-bean-to-cup/feed/ 3 Ethical Economics in Tegucigalpa, Honduras http://dowser.org/ethical-economics-in-tegucigalpa-honduras-2/ http://dowser.org/ethical-economics-in-tegucigalpa-honduras-2/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:48:52 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=14980 Every Thursday, thanks to a content partnership with brother-sister duo Journey of Action, we'll be exploring Gen Y changemakers--and how they fit in with the rest of the world. *Due to some technical issues, this video was a little late. We promise they'll be every Thursday.* #

Ethnomics [n]: #

  1. A new world order that combines traditional economics with social ethics
  2. A hybrid of technology, design and social responsibility
  3. The future of business
And the essence of Tegu, the premiere, for-profit toy company featured in the video above. They sell magnetic wooden block sets at $70 - $150 a pop, but the core of their mission is a three-pronged attack to social problems in Honduras: unemployment, education and deforestation. #

This definition of ethnomics comes from business magazine Fast Company, which championed the term with the 2009 launch of a vertical of the same name. But you can see it in a range of organizations remixing the traditional non-profit legal structures and revenue streams. #

Thirty years ago, any mission that focused on social impact would have filed taxes as a 501c3 non-profit, and its funding, most likely, would have come from governments, fellowships and philanthropists. Thanks to an explosion of revenue streams, and a willingness to experiment, recent years have produced for-profit social entities, B-Corporations, Social Business, Hybrid Models, Leveraged Not-For-Profits. They're all variations on a theme, trying to find the optimal way to maximize both sustainability and impact. #

Arguments for and against each type of structure are ubiquitous. Many argue that hybrid or for-profit structures are more sustainable, have an easier time attracting capital, boast a higher rate of retention for employees, and thus create more impact (Make sure you check out this interview the Yale School of Management conducted with the CEOs of Zipcar and BiddingForGood. It's quite good.) Others argue that for-profit models can't possibly meet both investor demands and prioritize social good. And still others have cited 2011 as the year when people stop arguing about for-profit versus non-profit, and instead build bridges and share knowledge that creates the most impact. #

Whatever the theory, Tegu is part of a bona fide on-the-ground global trend experimenting with profits and impact. In East Africa, Barefoot Power has built a network of Solar Entrepreneurs to sell solar lighting to towns and villages across Uganda. In rural India, E-Health Point uses broadband and the allure of cheap, clean water to provide healthcare services.  Maternova is a global, for-profit enterprise that fightsmaternal mortality by selling obstetric tools to midwives and providers and licensing a mapping tool that lets groups keep track of their facilities.And of course, there is the controversial, yet visible, TOMS Shoes. #

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Tegu's particularly innovative model addresses a range of social issues with a myriad of strategies. It's a web of corporate social responsibility, local empowerment and citizen contributions that, we hope, will provide a wealth of ideas. The video is a little over 4 minutes, and touches on Tegu's essentials. For more information on their work and strategy, please visit their website. #

And for more Gen Y changemakers, check back here every Thursday! #]]> http://dowser.org/ethical-economics-in-tegucigalpa-honduras-2/feed/ 1 Slideshow: Inzozi Nziza creates a market for ice cream in Rwanda http://dowser.org/slideshow-inzozi-nziza-a-social-enterprise-creates-a-market-for-ice-cream-in-rwanda/ http://dowser.org/slideshow-inzozi-nziza-a-social-enterprise-creates-a-market-for-ice-cream-in-rwanda/#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:05:04 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=13432

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It’s an unlikely place for an ice cream shop, and an even more unlikely batch of people to be running it. # #

Inzozi Nziza, or “Sweet Dreams” in Kinyarwanda, is Rwanda’s first and only local ice cream shop.  Located in the small university town of Butare, it celebrated its one year anniversary this week.  While its struggles have been great, from importing a soft-serve ice cream machine into this tiny landlocked country where only one person knows (kind-of) how to fix it,  to keeping the employees from scooping too deep out of a cultural generosity towards customers, this little shop has much to celebrate. #

It all started as an idea by a passionate, creative, and outspoken Rwandan artist named Odile Gakire Katese, (better known as Kiki) pitched to Jennie Dundas, actress and co-founder of Blue Marble Ice Cream in Brooklyn, New York, at the Sundance Institute in 2008. The idea was to create a sustainable business for the women of Ingoma Nshya, Rwanda’s first ever women’s drumming group, that could also bring economic opportunity via ice cream, to a country going through a difficult post-genocide period. #

Before officially opening shop in 2010, Blue Marble Dreams partnered with BPeace, a nonprofit organization which helps train women entrepreneurs in conflict-affected countries to “create significant employment for all and expand the economic power of women.” Together, they brought consultants from all over the world to Rwanda to train the women in management, accounting, business planning, customer service, quality control and, of course, making ice cream. #

Having a full time job is a change in pace for most the women working at Inzozi Nziza, many of whom were direct victims of the 1994 genocide, but even working full time they carry their music and rhythm into the store.  A new stereo installed in the shop has turned at least one employee’s work day, Muhrakeye Seraphine, into a constant dance routine. #

Inzozi Nziza isn’t profitable yet, but it will take time, says current Project Manager Nikki Grey.  The challenges of running a small business in Rwanda, from expensive import costs (Rwanda being completely landlocked), unpredictable government interventions, high taxes, and various cultural norms, such as waiting until something is completely gone to restock, have been a strain. They still receive some financial support from Blue Marble Dreams, the nonprofit organization established in the U.S. by Blue Marble to fundraise for the opening of the shop. #

Another obstacle has been ownership. The goal is to have Inzozi Nziza be entirely employee owned, perhaps in shares or as a cooperative of sorts (it’s currently a registered business owned by someone with Blue Marble in the U.S.), yet hammering out the details of ownership has been more complicated than anticipated, and appears as a decision won’t be reached very soon.
As preparations mounted for for their one-year celebration, which included drumming, dancing, and of course free ice cream, there was just one problem; their soft serve ice cream machine was broken again. Workers hoped a friend from South Africa would fly in in time to fix it. #

This is an ongoing series of slideshows by The (BoP) Project. #]]> http://dowser.org/slideshow-inzozi-nziza-a-social-enterprise-creates-a-market-for-ice-cream-in-rwanda/feed/ 3 Citizen scientists set out to quantify the value of urban farms http://dowser.org/citizen-scientists-set-out-to-quantify-the-value-of-urban-farms/ http://dowser.org/citizen-scientists-set-out-to-quantify-the-value-of-urban-farms/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:01:56 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=13062

Future farmland

In cities all over the U.S., urban agriculture has joined the farmer’s market as an accessible, even trendy, way for city dwellers to assert their commitment to living sustainably. But despite the individual benefits from eating healthy, organic produce, it’s hard to see -- and measure -- the social and environmental impact of urban farms.  Rooftop farms may seem like mere Band-Aids in overcrowded cities marked by unequal distribution of healthy food. But two environmental scientists are determined to prove that urban farms have a multifaceted positive effect in a cityscape, and that urban agriculture deserves recognition as a viable means toward creating a more sustainable and equitable urban ecosystem. Seeing Green is a year-long research project that will measure the stormwater management potential of urban farms. The founders hope the final data can prove that urban farms greatly mitigate escalating waste management problems in cities, giving scientific fodder for policy-makers to support the burgeoning urban agriculture movement. # #

Dowser: Tell me about how you realized that this research was needed.
Tyler Caruso, project co-director: I ran my own sustainable landscaping company in San Francisco for a couple years, and did a lot of 'gray water' work. Gray water is any water in a house other than your toilet – from your shower, hand faucets, and so on. It’s not potable but it can be recycled to water your plants or wash your car. So I moved back East to go do my M.S. at Pratt, and started doing more gray water work. It surprised me how much urban agriculture there was in New York City. But I also saw that urban agriculture was happening without a lot of city support; these farmers were just making it happen on their own. #

What do you think is the reason for that lack of city support for urban agriculture?
People talk about the benefits of urban agriculture, but it seems that we don’t really know how to articulate those benefits and put them into policy. Right now the city’s Department of Environmental Protection is unrolling a green infrastructure plan. This is basically a movement away from mechanical, industrial ways of treating our stormwater supply. Planting trees, bioswells, blue roofs - all these are in the plan. But there’s no mention of urban agriculture. And my research partner Erik [Facteau] and I saw this as a huge disconnect. One of the reasons for that is there are no metrics for measuring the impact of green roofs. #

So, your project aims to create that metric and then supply it to city programs?
With metrics you can monetize the benefits of green infrastructure. Urban farms absorb and retain rainwater, but we have yet to measure just how much they are capable of retaining. If you put a green roof anywhere, not only does that stormwater never reach a wastewater treatment plan, not only are you decreasing the monetary cost, but you’re using less electricity too. 17 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions are from wastewater treatment plans. #

People in city offices need numbers, they need metrics. There’s a lagging in scientific study right now. Metrics for green roofs exist but not for urban agriculture. We thought that creating this research would be a great way to support urban agriculture, and show that it is a viable part of a city’s green infrastructure. #

Why is green infrastructure such a priority right now?
There are systemic problems with [New York City’s] wastewater system. The pipes were designed to prevent flooding; they weren’t made to handle both septic waste and stormwater waste. So when it rains a lot, the treatment plans get overwhelmed and they discharge raw, untreated septic waste into our water bodies. There are 422 combined sewage pipe holes where this water discharges any time the plants reach capacity. Awareness of CSO – combined sewage overflow – is growing. There’s this video on YouTube of septic waste overflowing into the Gowanus Canal. #

Anytime you increase the green infrastructure of a city you’re decreasing CSO because you’re buying time and space for the stormwater to infiltrate the ground and get absorbed. So we want to show how much these farms are capable of and get policy-makers’ attention. To the best of our knowledge there have been no studies like this. #

One thing that struck me is that you’re doing this scientific research using funding from a Kickstarter campaign. Why not use grants?
So much of the farming community right now is about helping each other, and also we wanted to avoid having an attachment to an institution. We want this research to reach everyone and be replicated on a community, grassroots level – it should belong to the people, belong to the farmers and the supporters. This is citizen science. #

What’s your plan for publicizing the information and getting it to policy makers?
The research will take a year because we want to look at an entire growing season. We know people that work for city council members. Speaker Christine Quinn right now is looking to do a green roof amendment – right now it’s not possible to grow food-producing plants on green roofs, it’s a hole in the legislation and she wants to amend that. So we want to present our research to Speaker Quinn as a companion piece. Whoever’s the next mayor, we want to get this information into the next PlaNYC, the city’s plan for sustainability. #

Watch Seeing Green explain their research in this Kickstarter video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Interview has been edited and condensed. #]]> http://dowser.org/citizen-scientists-set-out-to-quantify-the-value-of-urban-farms/feed/ 9 Slideshow: Barefoot Power brings solar lighting off-the-grid http://dowser.org/slideshow-barefoot-power-brings-solar-lighting-to-off-the-grid-areas-in-east-africa/ http://dowser.org/slideshow-barefoot-power-brings-solar-lighting-to-off-the-grid-areas-in-east-africa/#comments Tue, 17 May 2011 16:32:46 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=12683

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A couple hours drive on a dusty road outside of the southern town of Masaka, Uganda, you’ll find Musubiro Village. Miles from the closest electricity grid, there is little hope of government power coming this way anytime soon. # #

In Musubiro, like so many other villages across Africa, the main source of light is kerosene- which is not only expensive, but has a myriad of negative health side affects, and the risk that always comes when you mix open flames and straw thatched roof dwellings. Typically, the day’s chores are done, children’s studying is over, and small shops are closed when the sun goes down at 7:30 p.m. #

Not anymore. #

Barefoot Power, a for-profit social enterprise operating across East Africa, has built a network of “Solar Entrepreneurs” who are responsible for bringing solar lighting to towns and villages like Musubiro all across Uganda. Their products, ranging from the extremely popular “Firefly Mobile”, a small 1.5 watt panel with 12 small LED lights and a phone charger, or their full “Village Kits” that can provide lighting to an entire house, are making solar power affordable and accessible to those at the base of the economic pyramid. The small solar panels are portable and once charged, act like a battery. #

Barefoot Power currently has 160 Solar Entrepreneurs operating all over Uganda, and an extensive distribution network which makes its products available to customers across Kenya, Tanzania, India, and several other parts of the world. #]]> http://dowser.org/slideshow-barefoot-power-brings-solar-lighting-to-off-the-grid-areas-in-east-africa/feed/ 7 Slideshow: How Mafuta Sasa turns waste cooking oil into clean biodiesel http://dowser.org/bringing-biodiesel-to-africa/ http://dowser.org/bringing-biodiesel-to-africa/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=12381

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Michael Mwakilasa is not your typical Tanzanian entrepreneur, and Mafuta Sasa Ltd is not your typical African energy company. After spending a year experimenting with converting wasted vegetable oil (WVO) into usable biodiesel fuel in a New York City garage, Mwakilasa launched Mafuta Sasa Ltd, the first WVO-to-biodiesel company in East Africa. Based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the company collects their WVO from hotels, restaurants, and street cart vendors from across Dar es Salaam for a small fee and brings it to their refinery, where it undergoes a carefully calculated process of mixing, heating, cooling, settling and sifting before it is turned into clean burning biodiesel that meets the exacting specifications of local petroleum diesel. The biodiesel is then sold back to hotels, bakeries, apartments, other establishments around the city seeking cheaper, cleaner burning fuel. # #

With the price of petroleum diesel hovering at around 1,800-2,000 TSH ($1.40 USD) per liter, Mafuta Sasa’s biodiesel is the cheaper alternative at 1,250 TSH. Yet a competitive price is the least of their concerns. They have faced several barriers to expansion, one of which is government policy. Tanzania currently has no legal framework or policies around biodiesel, which limits the company to small-scale distribution, and bars access to more traditional fuel markets like gas stations. Yet the biggest challenge Mafuta Sasa faces appears to be the market itself. Many people Mwakilasa comes across in Tanzania still call him crazy when he says “We’re making diesel from your used cooking oil!” The market has yet to understand the fuel, the differences between diesel and biodiesel (or the lack thereof), and will require wide-scale education on the product before it can become broadly adopted, as the company hopes it will. #

Despite the challenges ahead, Mwakilasa remains optimistic and continues to see opportunities for Mafuta Sasa in Tanzania. He is beginning to explore alternative models for supply, such as contracting small-scale farmers to produce Jatropha seeds, a small crop from which oil can be extracted and used to create biodiesel, which would give rural farmers an income-generating activity and increase Mafuta Sasa’s production capacity. He has also stumbled upon a separate business as a result of the refinery’s byproducts: liquid soap. Glycerin, one of the inputs used to convert the WVO to usable biodiesel, can be easily used after the mixing process as a strong, black liquid soap. They call it Sash- and it should be hitting the Tanzanian markets soon. #

This is an ongoing series of slideshows by The (BoP) Project. #]]> http://dowser.org/bringing-biodiesel-to-africa/feed/ 3 BoP Slideshow: KOMAZA, innovations in microforestry and sustainablity in Africa http://dowser.org/bop-slideshow-komaza-innovations-in-microforestry-and-sustainablity-in-africa/ http://dowser.org/bop-slideshow-komaza-innovations-in-microforestry-and-sustainablity-in-africa/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:00:01 +0000 Dowser http://dowser.org/?p=12209

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KOMAZA helps rural families in Africa plant and maintain small-scale, income-generating tree farms,  a new concept they call microforestry.  KOMAZA’s direct impact is threefold: First, KOMAZA workers hope to alleviate the deforestation of indigenous trees (only 2% of Kenya remains covered by forests), by reducing the need for these farmers to cut down the forests in the first place. Second, by working with each individual farmer and their families to utilize dry, unused land to plant a drought-resistant strain of eucalyptus trees, they are introducing farmers to a new sustainable source of income. When the trees are cut and harvested, they will continue to grow without needing to be replanted. Third, and why KOMAZA has attracted so much attention lately, is that KOMAZA is building a financially viable for-profit business itself, allowing it to expand its reach and impact beyond the towns and villages around Kilifi. KOMAZA hopes to become “Africa’s first nonprofit forestry company.” # #

This is the first of an ongoing series of slideshows by The (BoP) Project. #]]> http://dowser.org/bop-slideshow-komaza-innovations-in-microforestry-and-sustainablity-in-africa/feed/ 2