Dear friends of Kopernik,
In some ways it was in Timor-Leste that it all began – the place where our international development careers started more than a decade ago and where inspiration for the Kopernik model took hold.
One year ago, in late 2010, we went to Timor-Leste to assess how Kopernik might help the people we had known so well. We rode to the remote enclave of Oecusse, truly in the “last mile”, along dusty roads, in complete darkness. The majority of Timor-Leste – like most of Africa and much of Asia - is “off the grid,” and most people rely on kerosene for lighting. Families, already struggling on the meagre income of less than a dollar a day, spend what little they have on a source of energy that is dirty, dangerous and expensive. Children find it almost impossible to study at night under the dim and harmful flicker of kerosene. We left Timor-Leste with this image in our minds and a renewed determination to ensure the “last mile” is not forgotten.
In the past year, we were able, thanks to the generosity of people like you, to distribute more than 3000 solar lights to the people of Oecusse. And our most recent trip to Timor-Leste a few months ago painted a completely different picture. We visited homes where children were reading by solar-powered lamps, mothers sewing goods for sale and neighbors charging their cell phones -- all from the power stored in the lights Kopernik delivered. We wished you too could have seen this change that your generosity made possible!
It’s been just over two years since we started to deliver simple solutions with big impact through Kopernik, and we are growing rapidly. Here are some of the highlights of 2011:
- Empowering women heads-of-households in Indonesia through entrepreneurship
Kopernik, together with our local Indonesian partner PEKKA, trained women heads-of-households to become technology sales reps. The women, mostly statusless widows, now pick the technologies most needed in their villages and sell them to their neighbors. Formerly unemployable, these women are now proud agents of change.
A group of single women heads of households are now entrepreneurs selling clean cookstoves in Indonesia
- Increasing crop yields in India through drip-water irrigation
Kopernik has partnered with an India-based company on a pilot project for farmers in Orissa. Simple drip-water irrigation will allow these farmers to grow crops on a steady, year-round basis, significantly increasing their yield.
- Helping tsunami victims in Japan
After the devastating earthquake and tsunami, Kopernik immediately responded to the needs of the victims of the disaster by posting on our website requests for solar-powered lamps and solar-powered hearing aids. Donor generosity was immense, enabling thousands of much-needed technologies to assist in post-disaster relief.
- Generating income through water-purification in Uganda
Simple solar-powered water purifiers were requested for rural women in Uganda, many of whom are HIV positive. Not only did this technology improve health and save forests (by decreasing the need to burn charcoal to purify water); but several entrepreneurial woman have now gone into the business of selling clean water to others in need!
Ugandan women stay healthy and earn money by owning Solvatten water purifiers
- Increasing partnerships with visionary corporations and foundations
Kopernik received $100,000 from Exxon-Mobil to be used for sustainable technology for the economic advancement of women, as well as $87,000 in grants from Daiwa Securities and Russell Investments Japan for energy and water projects in developing Asian countries. We are also very grateful to the following companies and foundations for supporting our work: Ahimsa Brands, ETIC, I.D.E.A. International, Powerfilm, Silver Spring Networks, Winroader, and Worldwide Support for Development.
- Growing recognition among our peers
Co-founder Toshi spoke on a panel at the Clinton Global Initiative alongside Chelsea Clinton and Geena Davis about the link between technology and women’s empowerment. Additionally, both Toshi and Ewa spoke at TEDx events in Japan, Indonesia and Poland. Major stories about Kopernik’s work appeared in the Huffington Post, CNN and other outlets.
- Instituting evaluations of our work
Kopernik partnered with leading academic institutions such as Columbia University and the Thunderbird School of Management to conduct third-party evaluations of our projects.
You have been part of this amazing growth. Thanks to you, we have now reached 63,000 people in 11 countries through 41 projects.
As 2011 draws to a close, we ask you to make us part of your year-end giving so that we can continue to reach rural communities with life-changing technologies. All of us, those who give as well as those who receive, are equal partners in creating a better world.
Thank you for coming on this journey with us and we hope you’ll continue assisting us in making 2012 a year of even greater impact.
With gratitude,
Toshi Nakamura and Ewa Wojkowska
Kopernik Co-Founders
