Solar Power to Villages in Karen State, Myanmar

Although our monitoring activities suffered severely by the floods during the rainy season, we could finally complete all the installation works and following monitoring activities for the 6,138 solar systems in the houses of Kayin(Karen) & Mon States in the EAO(Ethnic Armed Organizations) areas.

Other than the above works, we also built computer training system with 12 PCs in the high-school belonging to KNU.  This computer system is used to teach students to help their future careers as well as by teachers for the improvement of the lessons.

In the 2^nd Phase BHN also employed 12 younger villagers and trained them how to build & repair solar systems.  These young staffs are named as “System Supporters” and expected to work in their villages to repair systems and educate villagers how to properly use the solar systems.

Since long , we have been negotiating how to provide the same solar systems into other EAO areas and lately we came to an agreement that KNLA and DKBA to be included in the project.  Hence, in the next project (3^rd Phase), BHN plans to install 5,200 solar systems into the houses in KNU, KNLA and DKBA areas .  After the tender and production procedures we are planning to start the installation works in Feb. or Mar. next year.

Although the request from the EAOs were exceeding well over 9,000 systems, we concluded in our negotiation with them to limit the number to 5,200 systems thinking of the difficulties of works during the rainy season.

In 7 months starting this Dec. we plan to finish all the installation works before the next rainy season starts.   We understand the fact that KNLA and DKBA areas were newly included is reflecting their strong wish for peace and thus improve their living environment.

Continued rain falls in Myanmar caused floods in many districts of the country.  In the State of Karen(Kayin) where BHN has been actively working, the river Thalwin(or Salween) flooded in the middle of the city of Hpa An(state capital) and many other locations of the state.  The office of BHN scarcely escaped to get submerged under water but the activity had to be suspended for about 2 weeks.

Even after the flooding in the city is over, the access to most of our project sites were mostly impossible until around the end of August.

Almost all the villagers in the EAG(Ethnic Armed Group) areas were living without electricity since they were born and education to them how to use electricity (especially the specific character of solar power system) is critical for the sustainable use of the equipment.  As the installation works of the solar systems were completed by the end of May, BHN started monitoring activities in all the villages in late August but frequently hampered by remaining after-effects of the floods.

Basically, monitoring activities are conducted to listen to the voices of recipients and to adopt their opinions for future activities.   However, as mentioned above, for almost all the villagers, “Electricity at Home” is quite a new phenomenon in their life and repeated basic education on how to make efficient & economical use of electrical equipment under solar system is also an important mission for the monitoring teams.

Along with our monitoring team, engineers of the construction companies and “Solar Supporters” (selected from the villagers and joined in the construction works of the solar systems) are accompanying with BHN team and whenever necessary, they could fix at once all the troubles of the solar equipment.