Kopernik

Simple and handy technologies are introduced to women in East Flores, Indonesia

“I really like the stove that uses candlenut shell as the fuel. There are lots of candlenut shells in my village. I once tried to use them for cooking but they make so much smoke and produce bad smell. But this candlenut shell stove is really different, it produces blue flames, no smell and almost no smoke. From now on I am not going to throw away my candlenut shells because they are precious.” (Theresia Mora Goran is a 37-year-old farmer in Bama village of East Flores who grows candlenut, corn, peanut and rice paddy)

Thanks to a continued partnership with PEKKA, Kopernik is expanding its technology agent program in Indonesia to the region of East Flores. Earlier this month, the Kopernik team and PEKKA co-hosted two technology fairs in East Flores to introduce innovative technologies to more than 150 women who were eager to use the products. A wide range of technologies was showcased, including the biomass stove pictured above, from which the women themselves will select several to purchase and sell to their communities.  

To read in detail about the tech fairs and view more photos, you can read the blog post from Kopernik's Project Officer Lincoln Rajali Sihotang here. 

Installation of Driptech micro-irrigation systems is underway

Together with AuroMira Service Society (AMSS), Kopernik is currently implementing the Kechla Village Drip Irrigation Project, which will equip 66 farmers in the state of Orissa, India with Driptech micro-irrigation systems. To date 23 systems have been installed successfully in 4 villages.

Installations of the 23 Driptech systems went smoothly namely because every farmer that participates in the program worked on multiple, if not all, installations in his village. The group dynamic not only facilitated quicker installations, but it also established a great peer network from whom a farmer can get advice or technical help about his system. This group approach to installation is a trend that AMSS and Kopernik Fellow Annie O'Brien will continue to encourage for installations in other villages. 

Drip irrigation is celebrated for its efficient delivery of water to crop root zones. Yet its benefits are particularly meaningful for farmers in Orissa state who have historically irrigated dry season crops by hand and juggle multiple jobs to sustain a basic living. To learn more about the installations of Driptech micro-irrigation systems, please refer to Annie's updates that are listed under the 'Blog Posts' tab here.

New Kopernik Japan Website

On November 1, 2011 our new Kopernik Japan website was launched and can be viewed atwww.kopernik.info/ja. The new Japan website has the same look and feel as the English site, improved features and will enable Kopernik to connect with a greater number of donors in Japan.            

Meet the team: Annie O'Brien

In a nutshell: In September 2011 I completed my master’s degree in medical anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.  I moved to London after working in Delhi for 2 ½ years with the Clinton Foundation Health Access Initiative. I developed an early interest in HIV/AIDS and international development thanks to my mom, who was actively involved with various HIV/AIDS groups in the mid-1990s in Philadelphia (where I grew up). I graduated from Georgetown University in 2006 where I continued to explore my interest in international development by studying abroad/working in southern and east Africa. Outside of work, I am a huge book nerd and love early morning runs. My life goal is to do a marathon on every continent - 2 down, 5 to go.

How did Kopernik enter your life? Kopernik came into my life thanks to a good friend. I took a few international development classes for my postgraduate degree and was frequently frustrated by the sector’s struggles...read more

Tech of the month: Corn Sheller Kit

The Corn Sheller Kit turns any bicycle into an agricultural machine, enabling it to shell maize ten times faster than by hand. In countries where maize is the staple crop and people in rural areas predominantly shell maize by hand, this represents massive time savings and increased productivity. Farmers can also rent out the equipment for others to use to earn extra income. 

The kit includes the shelling machine, a sprocket set and chain for driving the machine, a bicycle rack and frame for holding the machine, and a stand to keep the rear wheel of the bicycle off the ground while it is in use. Kopernik has introduced this product in technology fairs in Indonesia to raise awareness for it.     

The Kopernik team has tested out this technology in the office; see it in action here.

Feature donor: Daiwa Securities and Russell Investments

We are pleased to announce that Kopernik has received the third round of project funding from Daiwa Securities and Russell Investments. This time the donation amounts to nearly $70,000, which will go towards supporting four environment and water related projects in Asia:

• A project providing solar lights for remote upland communities in the Philippines.
• A project aiding villages devastated by floods in Orissa, India with provisions of water purifying technology.
• A project in Viet Nam providing access to sound for children with hearing loss through solar powered hearing instruments.
• A project in East Flores of Indonesia facilitating the adoption of green technologies and creating new business opportunities for poor women. 

We would like to express our deepest appreciation for the continued support of Daiwa Securities and Russell Investments.