Kopernik's co-founders putting the Q Drum and d.light solar light to a different kind of good use
Thank you all for giving us your incredible support during our Yayasan Kopernik Opening Ceremony! Whether it be by bidding on our online auction, by articipating in our raffle prize contest, or bu simply dropping by to check out some life-changing technologies, you and others like you have made our event a successful and memorable one. We hope you had an enjoyable time, and if you weren't able to make it this time, we hope to see you at a future event soon!
To check out more photos from the event, click here.
In March 2012, Kopernik and local partner Gelacio I. Yason Foundation Family Farm School, an NGO based in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro (Philippines), embarked on a joint venture to provide families with clean, affordable and efficient lighting. The project entitled Lighting Up Rural Philippines involved the dissemination of 408 units of d.light S10 and d.light S250. The impact assessment conducted by Fellow Emily McQualter and supervised by Project Officer Lincoln Rajali Sihotang reports significant social, economic and environmental changes.
Of those 82 recipients surveyed, the use of d.lights saved households with access to electricity 20 percent of their normal kerosene expenses and saved households with no access to electricity more than 50 percent. A sample of documented behavioral changes showed that, of all households surveyed, 47 percent reported staying up later, 30 percent reported studying longer and 17 percent felt safer.
Ate Wilma, one of the beneficiaries of this project, with her new d.light S10
In addition to the economic and social changes, the recorded environmental impact is substantial. Kerosene when used in a lamp for light for five hours a day burns 3.15 litres. One litre of kerosene releases 2.3 kilograms (kg) of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air. In turn, one household would release 86.94 kg of CO2 per year. In the case of Kopernik’s efforts for Lighting Up Rural Philippines, 80 percent of those living in off-grid communities (20 respondents) reported no longer using any kerosene for light. That would mean Kopernik facilitated the prevention of a total of 1,738.8 kg of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere when considering the off-grid communities alone. And with Kopernik’s intention of extending its reach from 80,000 individuals to 2 million in 2012—imagine the possibilities.
To learn more about how Kopernik is bringing light to rural Philippines, read Project Officer Lincoln Rajali Sihotang's blog post synthesizing the study.
To our benefit, the famous line of Samuel Taylor Coleridge--water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink--will soon no longer hold true. Thanks to the rise of new water desalination technlogies like the Carocell Solar Water Purifier, we are now able to obtain safe potable water from unlikely sources like polluted water, sea water, and even industrial waste water.
Designed by F Cubed in Australia, the system receives impure water by gravity or pump into a feeder pipe at the top of the unit. The input water then slowly runs down the solar collector, which vaporizes and condenses through several processes, and turns into distilled water at the bottom of the unit. Using the same natural processes that produce the world's rainfall, the Carocell solar panels uses no electricity and no chemicals while emitting zero greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, the panels are low cost, robust, and modular for easy installment in any setting.
But that's not all: with the added Zero Liquid Discharge Technology by F Cubed, the system can even produce salts and minerals of commercial value depending on the feed water source. This system not only improves the health of its users, but it also potentially generates extra income!
To learn more about the Carocell Solar Water Purifier, watch this informative video and visit the F Cubed website.
On this most recent Kopernik video, hear Iman shed light on the water crisis confronting the people of Eastern Indonesia and what Kopernik is doing to help. Iman is a Field Officer of Kopernik. Click here or below to watch the video!
We have more brief and informative videos now on our YouTube channel - it only takes a couple minutes of your time to learn more about our projects by watching them!
Kopernik has expanded its services to include consulting for corporations, aid agencies and foundations in their efforts towards technology dissemination and poverty reduction. This new arm of operations—Last Mile Consulting—provides access to Kopernik’s proven expertise in technology adoption and dissemination to residents of last-mile communities in the developing world.
Last Mile Consulting offers guidance in the areas of energy and environment, water and sanitation, health, education, agriculture, and ICT & Mobile. Championed by co-founder and CEO Toshi Nakamura, the consulting team consists of experienced business professionals, engineers and development practitioners from countries such as Australia, Japan and Indonesia. According to Nakamura, “through this service, we hope to engage more players to design and produce appropriate technologies that will benefit the poor.”
Last Mile Consulting deliverables include:
Interested parties may contact consulting@kopernik.info or visit our page for more information.
A Kopernik fellowship provides a unique opportunity for entrepreneurial individuals of the highest caliber and potential to work with our partner NGOs and assist with the implementation and monitoring of projects disseminating appropriate technology. We are currently seeking a fellow for Western Kenya and Oecusse, Timor-Leste to assist the implementation of two projects that address the lighting needs of rural families and schools as well as the burden of water transportation in the community.
Please contact us at kopernik@kopernik.info for more information.
In the past, we've had supporters organize parties and events to fundraise and promote Kopernik. If you are interested in doing the same, click here for more info. If you have other ideas about spreading the word about the projects, we'd also love to hear from you!
Join us on Facebook and share our news with your friends.
Follow us on Twitter @thekopernik to stay updated on our whereabouts.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for videos from the field.
Pin useful information and inspiring photographs with us on Pinterest.
Read more about the reach and impact of our projects on our blog Kopernik in Action.
Stay abreast with advancements in the fields of appropriate technology and international development, one article synopsis at a time, with K-lab Weekly.
Sign up to give a small gift each month and we'll put it towards the project closest to completion. By joining our Tipping Point Campaign and donating $25 each month, you can make sure projects are fully funded and out the door quickly--the easiest and most effective way to improve lives through technology.
This month your donation will support the distribution of Take a Load Off.
As little as $30 will enable us to support a household with one unit of d.light S250 in the following projects:
As little as $10 will enable us to support a household with one unit of d.light S10 in the following projects:
As little as $60 will enable us to support a household with one unit of Q Drum in the following project:
English
日本語