August 2008 Archives

Here's a quick update...

We're currently looking for a cheap car to buy for the volunteers to share, so we've been spending some time researching the best vehicle to get. We have four cars in mind at the moment. We're still negotiating the prices and we've brought onboard an independent mechanic to certify their roadworthiness. We do not want to be deceived by appearance!

We also want the vehicle to be cleared by the police first before paying for it. The big danger of buying second-hand cars from private individuals over here is that you may end up buying a stolen one, hence the need for police involvement in the transaction. In this case payment will be given upon satisfactory conclusion of this simple but important process which should be through within the next few couple of days.

Cai (the solar water pumps guy) arrived here on 4 August and seems to have settled in well, but I think he will struggle to find the materials he needs in Mzuzu. Like us, he needs to do a lot of internet based research and the slow connection we have is not helping matters at all!

We've linked him up with reputable people in institutions where he can get professional advice on what to do.

To hear more about what Cai is up to have a look at his blog where he's uploaded a short film of his first few days in Malawi: www.solar-aid.org/project_water_pump/.

I recently attended a meeting with representatives of all coffee growers in the Mzuzu Coffee Growers Cooperative Society. I was asked to display our products and give a talk about SolarAid. It was a big meeting, chaired by the Chief Executive and the president of the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The society has a membership exceeding 5,000 in the northern region alone! I was accompanied by Harry Mtika, from the Mzuzu Technical College and Brave Mhone who leads Ungweru Youth Group. Both are key allies in our project. Harry ably handled the technical presentation while Brave presented the sales section. Both guys were trained by the volunteers and Fred Migai.

I tackled the aims and objectives of SolarAid, the project approach, micro business aspect, local capacity building and sustainability. I think they were impressed as all their questions were satisfactorily answered through practical demonstrations! We lit a converted kerosene lamp and played the radio cassette using a 12 volt panel much to the delight of the farmers. We've been kept on our toes because we may not even meet the impending demand.

The Chief Executive has asked us to work with their various farmers' groups who are already involved in generating income through activities such as coffee-growing and bee-keeping. The solar component will enhance their income generation base, and he was really keen to see things happen as soon as possible.

He also appealed to the participants to spread the 'good news' far and wide to increase awareness and he has instructed the manager in Mzuzu to get in touch with me.

It was an amazing experience and I hope in the few coming weeks something big will happen. Knowing that assembling is a process that demands carpenters to work on the wooden frames, I assured them that large orders will take a maximum of one month to be delivered as we don't have a warehouse to stock already finished products.

I also had a visitor from Nkhata Bay who bought a solar panel from one of the salesmen. Upon using it many people became interested. It has caused quite a stir in his village and he has decided to venture into the solar business!!

We need to identify more mechanized carpentry shops to meet the ever rising demand for the panel frames. I'm hoping to meet with RAIPLY LTD at Chikangawa Forest to discuss the production of wooden frames, as they are the biggest timber processors in Malawi. So, as ever, it's busy here in Malawi!

Fiskani

Fiskani Msutu, Project Coordinator in Malawi