Kakamega district has inadequate power supply and due to poverty levels in Western Kenya averaging 54%, many families rely on paraffin for lighting. Kerosene lamps which are currently in use produce smoke that is very unhealthy. The cost of the kerosene itself is very expensive and children often miss out on completing school assignments or homework due the inability of the household to purchase paraffin. Houses have burned down in some communities in the district due to the kerosene lamps being left on for long periods and many lives have been lost as a result.
The project will work to address the lighting needs of rural families and schools in the community who conduct lessons for children during the evening hours. Children, both within households and in school settings, will be able to make use of the D-lights to study. 52% of Kakamega district's population lives below the poverty line. The money and time families will save through the purchase of clean solar powered lights can be utilized instead to meet basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, and education. The provision of solar powered D-lights will also eliminate health hazards and the expenses that are associated with kerosene lighting.
We believe that 168 families will directly benefit from the lighting. With an average of 4 individuals per household, we approximate that 660 persons will directly benefit from D-light usage.
The district is projected to have a total population of 800,000 in 2010. With an estimated 133,000 households, and just over half living below the poverty line, we are looking to build partnerships that will work to turn our dream of lighting up the villages of Kakamega into a reality.
In the future, the organization will look to light up all rural homes in Kakamega district. We intend to use the proceeds from the initial sale of the D-lights to recover some of the costs highlighted in the budget below. We also want the pilot to serve as an opportunity to undertake a rapid assessment to gauge the market, learn from the users of the products, and develop a proposal to scale up the activities and operate a selfsustaining wing of ACDT that supports lighting up communities and other related activities.
| Item | Explanation | Unit cost | Quantity | Cost |
| Product | Cost of the technology | 30 | 165 | 4,950 |
| Shipping | Cost of international shipping | 1120 | 1 | 1,120 |
| Clearance and local duty | Based on the average clearance and local duty cost | 1 | 405 | |
| Wire transfer fee | One transfer to tech provider, one transfer to cover local duty and clearance | 45 | 2 | 90 |
| Paypal/other payment processing fee | 3.3% average based on the average size of project and average donation amount | 3.30% | 250 | |
| Other | Contingency | 0 | ||
| Kopernik fee | In order to cover due diligence cost that Kopernik conducts | 757 | ||
| TOTAL BUDGET | 7,572 |
Fluctuations in currency exchange rates and shipping costs may change the final quantity of technologies shipped for this project.
Storage: ACDT will utilize part of the room within the current office set up to store the D-lights as soon as we receive them.
Volunteer Support and Induction: ACDT has experience of recruiting and working with volunteers. They will be the backbone of the project!s implementation. Key ACDT staff and board officials will induct volunteers on the importance of D-light, use and care.
Marketing: The D-light technology is new to our community. We shall use various forums to provide information to potential customers. Church functions, market meetings and local leadership meetings will be ideal.
Assessment and Reporting: We will share with communities, donors and leaders progress made in terms of project implementation. We shall also assess requirements for scaling up the project in the communities and share with potential donors and well wishers.
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