Earlier this month, two of my colleagues from Kiva HQ in San Francisco visited me in Phnom Penh as a part of their annual Kiva Staff Partner visit. The purpose of the Kiva Staff Partner visits is to allow...
Continue Reading >>Stories tagged with solar energy
May 5, 2016
Madagascar
You may know that Kiva not only partners with Microfinance institutions, but also with schools, associations, and social enterprises. Given my keenness for learning about different social enterprise models, I was stoked to find out that as part of my Fellowship, I was tasked with finding leads for new potential Kiva partners in Madagascar. This gave me the chance to meet (dropping Kiva’s name in cold emails worked wonders!) and learn about organizations currently tackling environment conservation, health, sanitation and energy challenges across Madagascar.
I was particularly... Continue Reading >>
I was particularly... Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2016
Senegal
Imagine for a moment that you live in a village with no electricity. When the sun goes down each evening, you rely on the light of fires or flashlights as you cook your evening meal. Your children must study before the sun goes down, or else use the dimly glowing light of a cell phone to illuminate their work. And speaking of cell phones, the only way to charge yours is to travel to a charging station in the nearest town, pay a fee, and wait while your battery replenishes.
Now imagine that you are suddenly offered an affordable, safe,...
Continue Reading >> Now imagine that you are suddenly offered an affordable, safe,...
May 5, 2015
Solomon Islands
According to a World Bank press release published in 2014, the Solomon Islands has one of the lowest rates of electricity access in the world and some of the highest electricity prices. In rural areas, where most of the population lives, only about 6% of households are connected to the electricity grid (World Bank, 2014).
I just spent the last four weeks of my Kiva Fellowship in the Solomon Islands working with Kiva’s field partner, South Pacific Business Development (SPBD), and observed this situation first-hand.
As I accompanied SPBD’s field officers on their... Continue Reading >>
I just spent the last four weeks of my Kiva Fellowship in the Solomon Islands working with Kiva’s field partner, South Pacific Business Development (SPBD), and observed this situation first-hand.
As I accompanied SPBD’s field officers on their... Continue Reading >>
Aug 8, 2013
Nicaragua
During my fellowship in Nicaragua I had the pleasure of working with an exciting new Kiva partner named Tecnosol. Tecnosol is the Central American leader in the sale and installation of decentralized renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, hydro, and biogas.
Mural outside Tecnosol's office in Managua, Nicaragua
There is a high demand for renewable energy products in Nicaragua, especially among remote populations that are unreached by the country’s electric infrastructure. Despite the need, however, Nicaragua’s vast... Continue Reading >>
Mural outside Tecnosol's office in Managua, Nicaragua
There is a high demand for renewable energy products in Nicaragua, especially among remote populations that are unreached by the country’s electric infrastructure. Despite the need, however, Nicaragua’s vast... Continue Reading >>
Feb 2, 2013
Nicaragua
For a moment, think about what you do in a normal, everyday, 24-hour time period. Take a second; no rush.
Got it? Now imagine it without electricity.
I’m guessing a significant portion of your everyday activities would suddenly become impossible, extremely less efficient, or flat-out uncomfortable. Sure, you could probably go without some of the not-so-necessary first... Continue Reading >>
For a moment, think about what you do in a normal, everyday, 24-hour time period. Take a second; no rush.
Got it? Now imagine it without electricity.
I’m guessing a significant portion of your everyday activities would suddenly become impossible, extremely less efficient, or flat-out uncomfortable. Sure, you could probably go without some of the not-so-necessary first... Continue Reading >>