3) Strategy Summary:
Our strategy is provide the slum and rural residents with cheap and affordable solar panels that are assembled locally and are simple to use. This involves designing and assembling of small solar panels in response to the local needs and priorities as far as energy is concerned. This being a source of renewable energy; environmental sustainability and provision of employment opportunities to young people assured hence sustainable livelihoods can be realized in the long run. Our strategy stands out from the fact that, it targets the problem of unemployment, environmental degradation and access to energy where most poor people do not get access to energy given the high cost of imported solar panels in the market as of now while they need them much.

4) How the Strategy Works:
“Do-It-Yourself” or DIY technique is a low- cost assembling of small and simple solar technologies, such as solar panels, battery packs and low consumption lights. It is aimed at bringing low-cost solar electricity to Less Developed Countries (LDCs) rural and slum majority populations, who live without mains electricity and with very little money while conserving the environment. The DIY approach builds on people’s existing craft and sales skills and provides income-generating opportunities for the producers and sellers (young people) of the solar technologies. The end-users obtain previously unavailable supplies of safe, clean, and money-saving solar electricity, under their own control, that they can use to meet energy and development needs.

The “DIY Solar” approach seeks to practically apply some of the central precepts of ‘sustainable development’ to provide low-cost renewable electricity services to disadvantaged groups through capitalising on local resources (sun, wood, metal etc.), skills and knowledge (metal-work, carpentry, electrical, accounting, narketing, management etc.) combined with utilising globalised markets to source high technology components, and access technical assistance.

Thus the DIY solar strategy not only facilitates the reduction of poor rural and slum people’s energy poverty and adds leverage to their developmental efforts, but also does so through encouraging the income generating sale and use of cheap, safe and clean Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) that provides employment opportunities to young people from the slum and the rural areas in abid to provide sustainable livelihoods.

In the wake of rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in the country, efforts have been made to educate the general public and in particular the youth, who have the highest risk of contracting the disease. This is being done through the mainstream media i.e. Radio, TV and mobile phone networks using specific messages designed to educate and create awareness on the dangers of HIV/AIDS. Most of the rural and slum dwelling populations fail to access this vital information due to lack of electricity to tune into the channels, the provision of low-cost solar energy will therefore enable them power their radios and TV and charge their mobile phones to help them stay informed on the most current news and learn of precautious measures against several social problems. Young people will also have an opportunity of listening to educative programs hence use their leisure time productively and nurturing their inbuilt talents as opposed idling and involving themselves in irresponsible sexual behaviour and drug abuse that fuels the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst them.

Non-rechargeable batteries have traditionally been used for radio listening and lighting torches with other small electrical appliances in both rural and slum settings; this has turned out to be a costly engagement whereby, one is required to buy the batteries from time to time and eventually dispose them. The disposed battery bears harmful chemicals that end up polluting the environment and also becomes risky to children. By introducing the simple solar panels into the rural and slum area settings, the project will be addressing the problem of environmental degradation caused by the disposal of non-rechargeable batteries.

The panels will be able to charge mobile phones, rechargeable batteries that can be used for a long time and power radios as opposed to non-rechargeable batteries therefore, apart from providing a cheap access to energy, availing employment opportunities for the young people and facilitating the information and communication process, the fact that the technology is a renewable source of energy will ensure environmental sustainability and eradication of extreme poverty among the slum dwellers in line with the millennium development goals.

The problems are indeed enormous and challenges in solving the unemployment, environment degradation and access to cheap source of energy problems are bound to occur. We have however, strategically planned to phase them out as they occur and this includes ensuring that, majority of the poor people who need this technology most get access to it based on its affordability as opposed to the imported solar products that are expensive. In this regard, simple solar panels will be produced according to the local needs and income class moreso, solar products that can easily be put into use by the end-users and require no training to use The project will also work towards establishing and operating local DIY solar assembly enterprises to meet various needs of different localities.

The project will also enlist young community service volunteers so that, apart from serving the community on voluntary basis; they can also earn a living from the production and sale of the solar products both in the slum and rural areas. There is a plan towards DIY solar technology transfer after a certain period of time to other slum.

5) Key Strategy Elements:

i. Mobilizing Citizen Support:
Members in our organization come from the same community (Kibera)and are volunteers involved in community service through our organization, this are young people making a change. We have also moblize and continue to mobilize support through community events orgized by ourselves and other organizations towards the advancement of the project goals, the local administration has also been supportive to ensure that this project succeeds given its immense benefits of creating employment opportunites for young people from the slum and rural areas. Community members have now taken ownership of the project due to the mobilization.

ii. Generating Financial and Nonfinancial Resources:
We have been able to realize little income from the project that has gone directly into the project trying to work on the project enpansion over time. This has been through the sample sales of the products made from the Do- It-Yourself Solar technology. In-kind donations have also been received towards the project growth i.e. equipment used in the production process, marketing, training and general link ups. Small financial donations have also been harnessed towards the initial pilot start up of the project from a few individuals and organizations that have seen the potential of the project in employment creation efforts for young people.

iii. Establishing Relationships with Strategic Partnerships:
The project has already established relations with a few media houses in Kenya and it has also been featured on BBC and Kenya Television Network. There is also talks with EcoVentures International towards strategic partnership in the near future. A few international universities have also shown interests of partnering with the project in the long run and the government through the department of social services;division of youth, have been a close ally of the project based on its efforts of finding decent work for the young people in difficult situations.

iv. Engaging and Managing Volunteers:
Most of the people working on the project are volunteers from the main organization and this is meant to provide them with income while they serve in the community, various interest have been put forward from people who would like to work with the project as volunteers and some are already having efforts towards fundraising for the project so that the total investment resources can be harnessed. We also have people interested to give business advice for free towards the full establishment of an enterprise.

6) Increasing Self-sufficiency and Social Impact:
By designing the simple solar panels, this will provide emplyment opportunities to majority of young people around and it will enable us generate income that will be used to pay them, invest in other technological innovations that can relieve the community from suffering. This will ensure that, the organization it self-sufficient by having constant income for its projects and the volunteers as well. It is anticipated that, the volunteers will get morale to even serve community with much dedication. This will also add to the organizational contribution towards finding solutions to community problems by the provision of a cheap and an affordable source of renewable energy for their various needs and development processes.

Poverty levels amongst the young people will also decrease with young people getting sustainable livelihoods directly from the project and also avoiding risky behaviours they are drove into by poverty.

8) Organization Mission and Vision:
Mission: The advancement and well-being of youth aimed at equalizing opportunities that promote proactive participation in community development.
Vision: To create an enabling environment in which youth will maximize their potential as well as play a more pivotal and proactive role in personal growth

Looking Forward to the Next Three Years:
We anticipate to replicate this strategy to reach most of the rural and slum areas in Kenya so that we can maximize profits while putting affordable technology at the doorsteps of those who need it most to make ends meet and participate effectively in the development processes of the country.

Contact Information:
Fredrick  Ouko
Co-ordinator
Kibera Community Youth Programme (KCYP)
P.O.Box 5837-00200,Nairobi
Kenya
Tel: +254-720786218
Fax: +254-020-570088
Email: kcyp2000@yahoo.com
Website: www.kcyp.kabissa.org