The Nepal Trust - 'Humla Clean Energy Workshop'
TRAID has donated £74,765 to the The Nepal Trust to build a Clean Energy Workshop to harness the power of the sun, wind and rain in Humla, Nepal - one of the remotest regions in the world. The project will run over three years and begin in 2010.
The Workshop will employ local people to maintain solar, wind and micro-hydro (water) installations generating clean energy for off grid communities.
There are currently dozens of solar, micro-hydro and wind power installations in Humla built to provide clean power and electricity to the region, with many more planned. However, the absence of local skills to maintain, repair and operate these installations mean that many no longer work or are only partially working. The need for a local fully equipped Clean Energy Workshop is critical to the long term success of harnessing clean energy.
The lives of 44,000 people could benefit from the Workshop by providing employment, power for food production, training for local people, hot water, improved sanitation and an alternative to harmful kerosene lamps.
After four years, the Centre will be handed over to the community with the support of The Nepal Trust in a model that combines development with social enterprise to create opportunities not dependency.
Direct benefits to potentially 44,400 people in Humla include:-
- Maintaining power and lighting for schools, monasteries, community halls, health facilities
- Providing power for food grinders, grain mills, saw mills etc stimulating income generation
- Creating local employment
- Equipping local people with the training, skills and confidence to maintain their community projects
- Support improved food production
Outside the benefits related to the technical improvements the Workshop will bring about, indirect benefits include:-
- Better sanitation (hot water)
- More opportunities for literacy and education (light to study, training, environmental education)
- More food (power for food grinders)
- Less respiratory problems (energy saving light bulbs rather than burning wood, oil and kerosene)
TRAID will update the website regularly with project news and developments. To find out more about The Nepal Trust visit www.nepaltrust.org
