Start ‘WakaWaka project’ op Primary School in Kibandaongo: in augustus 2014

Pilot of Stichting Kibandaongo for the ‘School Solar Revolving Fund’

Introduction and problem identification

One of the key problems in distribution of small, kerosene replacing solar lamps in rural Kenyan areas is the affordability of the upfront costs. These solar devices are available in a price range of about 2000 to 5000 Ksh. Although having such a device will lead to a substantial income improvement for the rural poor, the threshold to get to these savings is for a large portion of this group too high to take. This leads to a paradoxical situation: those who can afford, get the savings, those who cannot are stuck with higher expenses on the long run.

To find a way out of this paradox, we suggest to pilot with a financial tool that can assist the poor to get affordable access to a kerosene replacing solar lamp, the so-called Solar Revolving Fund. With the temporary funding through this Solar Revolving Fund the rural and urban poor can get themselves out of the poverty trap.

1. Introduction

Stichting Kibandaongo from The Netherlands supports a primary school in Kwale/Kenya, Kibandaongo Primary School, with donor finance, policy development and immaterial support. One of the topics for support is the facilitation of uptake of small solar lights to improve school performance and better homework making.

For this, contact was sought with S3C Kenya, a Dutch originated but Kenyan based social venture supporting implementation of solar projects in rural, off grid schools and communities.

Contacts on phone and email with Stichting Kibandaongo lead to the request to solar S3C to support the implementation in this Kibandaongo Primary School of a pilot in distribution of a first batch of solar lights using a solar revolving fund.

In this quotation we specify the way S3C Kenya can support this project and the budget for that support.

2. Description of works

S3C’s support concerns:

– Supply of solar lights
– Support in developing and implementing the pilot

a. Supply of solar lights

S3C will supply 50 WakaWaka Lights. These are basic solar lights, a specification sheet is enclosed. These lights will be distributed amongst parents connected to the school, following the systems developed.

b. Support in developing and implementing the solar revolving fund pilot

Implementation of the solar revolving fund requires two main steps:

– Building administrative structures/regulations- Introduction and instruction

The first step requires initial desk research and development of first procedures and forms/contracts. Based on these initial drafts, S3C will make a visit to Kibandaongo to discuss with school management on these drafts, to fine tune them to local user purposes, and instruct on their use. This will take discussion on the roles of:
* School Management Committee
* Head teacher
* Administrative and financial handling within the school (who, how) and how to act in case of defaults

Based on this first visit, we will provide a final set of documents to be used in the pilot and an instruction and community sensitization programme to introduce the pilot to the parents.

Step 2: Implementing

– Follow up instruction of school management and teachers
– Community (pupils, parents) information sessions

The second step concerns the actual implementation of the pilot, in a follow up of the instruction to school management, on the proper use of the system and forms, financial handling etc. Core of this step is the information sessions for parents. To reach out to as much as possible of them, we suggest having 2 or 3 such sessions.   

In these sessions, a combination of information is provided on:
– The added value of solar lights in comparison to kerosene
– The working of the WakaWaka solar light
– The solar revolving fund:
* the system and procedure, contract forms used, defaulting and other issues
* the costs and required payments from parents

Either in the closure of these sessions or afterwards, there is guided distribution, with individual contracting.

Step 3: M&E (done by Kibandaongo school, and reported to Stichting Kibandaongo)

– Monitoring on payback discipline
– Evaluation on added value solar revolving fund and use of solar lights
– A first set of evaluation criteria has already been supplied by S3C

3. Planning

These two steps require two visits of S3C staff to Kibandaongo during 2014:

Trip 1: Development and preparations – August-September
Trip 2: Implementation support (Kick-off) October (during visit Dutch Kibandaongo staff)

Activities after October are directed, coordinated and implemented by Kibandaongo Primary School. S3C is of course interested to learn about the monitoring data and evaluation of the impact of the pilot, but has no role in this stage.

This Revolving fund pilot operates as follows:

– The Trust will provide the Kibandaongo Primary School with 50 WakaWaka lights type WWc classic (no phone charging). See: http://waka-waka.com/Waka Waka(2,000 Ksh. each)

– These lamps are distributed to pupils of poor families, so they can use it in their home situations as kerosene replacement. So pupils can make homework with proper light instead of not at all or poorly with a kerosene wick, others can read and write, employ other nighttime activities, expand business hours for local traders etc.

– The families pay for these lamps by paying back the savings that they make, by not having to buy kerosene anymore, to the school. The pay back amount equals the saving of kerosene.

– The price for one lamp amounts to 2300 Ksh. (cost price 2000 Ksh., and 300 Ksh. for the organization/school) The pay back can be calculated at 23 x 100 Ksh. a week or higher.

– This way, in 23 weeks (or basically 6 months) the lamps are paid for, and the distributing organization recollects the 2300 Ksh.

Then the same approach is applied to other pupils until everyone with interest in a solar lamp is provided with one. In the end all school, church and CBO-related family this way gets the access to clean, safe and income saving light.

In this pilot Kibandaongo Primary School will get 50 lamps from the Stichting Kibandaongo. For their coordinative and administrative work ±10% of the price of a WakaWaka lamp is for the School, i.c. 300 Ksh.

The pilot runs for 1 year, starting August 2014, Kick-off in October ‘14.

Kibandaongo Primary School also has to report to the Stichting Kibandaongo on a quarterly basis on the evaluative criteria set above.

Budget:

The required budget has to cover for the developing, introduction and implementation and monitoring of this fund.

1. Budget for the WakaWaka lights: 50 x 2300 = 115,000 Ksh.

2. Solar S3C Nairobi, total costs support S3C   =    91,000 Ksh.

VAT total                                                              4,800 Ksh.                        

Total Investment:                                          210,800 Ksh.

introduction and instruction, building administrative structures/regulations and  community (pupils, parents, church member) information sessions shall start in august ’14.

The Kick-off of the project will take place in October ‘14

Dit project is mede mogelijk gemaakt door:
Lionsclub Regte Heide Tilburg en Cordaid