Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF)

Sobre nosotros

The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit whose mission is to design and implement solar energy solutions to assist those living in energy poverty with their economic, educational, health care and agricultural development. Since 1990, SELF has completed projects in more than 20 countries and pioneered unique applications of solar power for drip irrigation in Benin, health care in Haiti, telemedicine in the Amazon rainforest, online learning in South Africa, and microenterprise development in Nigeria.

Our Whole Village Development Model takes an integrated approach to community empowerment using a mix of solar energy solutions to improve the lives of the 1.5 billion people who don´t have access to electricity around the world. By working closely with communities and adhering to our operating principles of SELF Determination, SELF Help and SELF Reliance, we seek to provide benefits in education, health, food and water security, enterprise, and community.

Projects:
• Haiti: Delivering quality health care and providing food and water security to the people in Haiti are top priorities for SELF. Solar energy can help achieve these goals, and SELF has been working with its partners, local communities, and the government of Haiti to improve the well-being of the country.
• Benin: SELF installed with partners three of its Solar Market Gardens™ (SMG), an innovative, unique solar-powered drip irrigation system, for women farming collectives in Dunkassa and Bessassi, two villages in the arid, northern part of Benin.
• Colombia: With support from Acción Social (a governmental agency in Colombia) and Microsoft, SELF conducted a week long site assessment to determine the feasibility of deploying solar electric systems for the indigenous Arhuaco, Kogi and Wiwa communities in the Sierra Nevada mountains of northern Colombia. It´s anticipated that the systems will power new energy-efficient laptop computers and lighting in the schools, and high-efficiency fans, lighting and vaccine refrigerator/freezers at the health facilities, including dental equipment at one clinic.
• Rwanda: Solar energy systems have been installed at 35 health facilities to provide power for lights, vaccine refrigerators, microscopes, centrifuges, and computer systems so that medical staffs may continue to improve the well-being of Rwanda´s communities.
• Burundi: SELF installed with partners a 10kW solar electric generating system for the electrification of the new Village Health Works (VHW) clinic in the remote village of Kigutu, in southern Burundi.
• Kenya: SELF installed a solar-diesel hybrid power system for the Kisaruni School and the nearby Baraka Health Center to power school lights, computers, printers, the community´s first and only ultrasound machine, a vaccine refrigerator, a defibrillator, and examination lights.
• Lesotho: SELF continues to provide operations and troubleshooting guidance for the solar systems that were installed in 2008 and 2010 at the seven clinics run by Partners In Health (PIH) in the remote mountainous region of Lesotho.

SELF provides consulting services to governments, public agencies, companies, partnerships and organizations seeking technical assistance on solar development. From advising to implementing to evaluating, SELF can assist with Initial project design; Technical site assessment; System design; Equipment procurement; Installation management; Training and local capacity building; Reporting and evaluation; Sustainability planning.

Robert Freling is the Executive Director of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF).

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.