This post was originally published by Empower Generation, which merged with Pollinate Energy to form Pollinate Group in 2018.
For the past few months, EG has been in daily contact with our phenomenal grass-roots partner, ChangeFusion Nepal. We are learning so much from this organization that supports youth entrepreneurs in Nepal, and we’re very lucky to be working with them on our pilot project—supporting the first Empower Generation Renewable Energy Entrepreneur!
Remember Sita? She learned a lot about social entrepreneurship from ChangeFusion’s capacity building workshop and went home to develop her business plan. She assessed the real potential for her biogas company idea. After gathering information, she discovered several competitors installing biogas systems in Sita’s target villages in Chitwan. Some of these companies started in the late ‘90s with investments and support from E+Co, a clean energy investment organization that we’ve met with and find very inspirational. We’re glad to see those businesses are going strong, but it means that Sita’s business is less viable.
Sita also found that in order to serve the poorest of the poor, her target customers, she would have to provide up to $35 in subsidies for each family’s home biogas system. Sita is passionate about bringing energy to those that lack access, but found that her business idea was not the best means of doing so. We’re proud of Sita for her honest assessment and hard work, and decided together that it would be best not continue to develop her biogas business.
Never fear, EG does not give up and neither does ChangeFusion Nepal, Sita or the multitude of dedicated, savvy young entrepreneurs looking to serve their communities through renewable energy service provision. We are evaluating other business ideas like helping ECOPRISE bring LED light to two Chepang villages in the Terrai hills of Chitwan, and visiting Jhuwani Community Library and meeting with community groups to devise viable RET business opportunities. On our upcoming trip, we will also visit Gorkha to meet with EDWAN’s Dalit (untouchable caste) women’s groups.
In the future, we will also consider opportunities that come to light through entrepreneurs submitting energy business applications to ChangeFusion’s 2011 Fellowship Program.
Meanwhile, we’re proud to announce Sita is EG’s first on-the-ground project associate. She’s working with EG as a representative of the Jhuwani Womens Savings and Credit Cooperative, of which she is the president. Sita’s doing a great job coordinating our upcoming visit with READ Nepal to Chitwan and we are excited to conduct an energy assessment of Jhuwani library members.
Sita’s an integral member of the EG team, which is ever-expanding as we head back into the field. We leave on Monday for 28 days of EG adventure! As we pack, watch this powerful video and more from the Girl Effect campaign from the Nike Foundation. We are not alone in working towards empowering women and girls to be leaders and protectors of their communities and environment.