By Tony Sharpe | Project Leader
In our previous report we spoke about working with a local organisation to develop and manage the new Renewable Energy Service Centre currently being built in Simikot in the district of Humla, north west Nepal. The organisation, Local Initiative Development Consultancy Agency (LIDS), is based in Simikot and provides training and consultancy services in capacity building and appropriate technology transfer to grassroot organisations through facilitation and community mobilisation. LIDS have helped to develop the Service Centre idea and put together a project plan.
For the foreseeable future the Nepal Trust will retain full ownership of the project but the intention is to gradually hand-over more responsibility for its operation to LIDS who can draw on the technical expertise to operate such an enterprise. This is clearly part of LIDS function to work and support local initiatives for the benefit of marginalised and excluded groups of people. The district of Humla is Nepal's remotest and most impoverished district and falls in to these latter categories.
The Service Centre is nearing completion but still requires additional funding to purchase equipment to complete the fitting out. The building itself and all services are now in place.
Humla is never likely to be connected to a national electricity grid due to its remoteness. Sources of renewable energy, such as hydro and solar, are the way forward and new iniatives are being established on a frequent basis. Qualified technical staff are required to manage, maintain and repair these structures and that is why it is extremely important that we get this new Service Centre facility up and running as soon as possible.
The Nepal Trust works in a number of other project areas including health. We have now started to introduce solar powered vaccine fridges to our more remote health clinics. It is, therefore, very important that that we have the new facility and the expertise readily available if anything goes wrong.
Many thanks to our donors who have supported this very important project. We hope you will continue to support us and tell your friends about us. Just imagine life without electricity!
Thank you.
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