Oecusse is an isolated enclave on the north coast of Timor, bordered by the Indonesian territory of West Timor. Approximately 45% of Oecusse’s population of 67,000 live below the poverty line. Almost every household in the enclave reports that there is at least one month each year when they do not have enough food to eat.

Lighting in Oecusse is a dire problem. Few people have access to electricity and 92% of households rely on fuel-powered (mainly kerosene) lamp for light because there is no other option. Aside from the negative health effects of the smoke from kerosene lamps, the cost of kerosene in Timor-leste’s rural areas is also double the cost in urban areas, further marginalizing the poorest communities.

After the submission of Fundasaun Esperansa Enklave Oecusse’s (FEEO) proposal for lights, Kopernik introduced and socialized a range of solar lights to several community groups in Oecusse in a project called Light Up Oecusse. We have summed up the first phase  before, and it is our pleasure to share the latest report about this wonderful project.

1238 solar lights were delivered to Oecusse in this last phase. We also teamed up with d.light design to conduct a training workshop for all FEEO staff members to master basic care and maintenance skills for the d.light S10 and S250.

Our Fellow, Fita Arief, was based in Oecusse from the beginning of 2012 to oversee the project's progress in its last phase and conduct some impact surveys before finishing her fellowship. The feedback we received from Fita about the solar lights is yet another testament that solar lights never fail to create the most noticeable and appreciated positive outcomes in people's lives.

Find out more about the project's impact and hear from the beneficiaries themselves in this report. You can view it below or download it here.