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Seminar proceedings & outputs > Minutes of discussions

Day 2: 30th May 2002

Information Dissemination, Education and Empowerment of Rural Communities by Mr Corneels Jafta, Registrar, Polytechnic of Namibia Mr. Corneels Jafta of the Polytechnic of Namibia presented the first presentation, a Work Group session under the theme of “Information Dissemination, Education and Empowerment of Rural Communities". Mr. Jafta covered Information Dissemination (including Media such as Print (e.g. newspapers), Television, Radio, Information and Communication Technology (ICT's) and the Spoken Word). His presentation also dealt with issues such as Literacy Rates, Circulation Figures/Readerships, Access, the Importance of Oral Traditions, Local Leaders and Opinion Formers, Possible Local Champions (generally Women), the Power of ICT's and Language. Following this, Mr. Jafta covered the Different Media that can Work, Education (Energy, Poverty and Gender in the Curriculum and the Education-development dilemma), Empowerment (ownership, capital formation, dangers of appropriate technology, local benefits of global developments and the participation in the Third Wave of Development). Copies of Mr. Jafta's presentation were made available to participants during to the tea break.

Participant: You mentioned Title Deeds. A communal settlement needs title deeds. Many governments are unwilling to give them title deeds as they fear that the members will sell the land, use up the money and then be poor again. Mr. Jafta: The interesting thing about land is… my colleague says something about this - now this is perhaps not digestible but he says putting people on parcels of land makes them poor. They think they are empowered but the government actually controls them. The land is too small to make a living. Soon the kids aren't in school because the community/family needs them to work the lands. No-one progresses. But I ask: Does it really make them poorer if they are given ownership i.e. their community ownership is recognised through a legal instrument. Another Participant: When we talk about legal issues - it's not just about private property. There are terms and conditions as to how a household uses its land. The South African government came up with legislation, namely, the Lands Rights Bill. But giving title meant they would be impoverished because they wanted to sell. There was strong resistance from the 'elites' so the bill was never passed. Mozambique tried similar legislation with two to three year consultation and legislation is planning the way forward on how we must approach this. First Participant: What about Bankers? Mr. Jafta: We must convince them. In de Soto's Book he talks about the 'Bell Jar'. The 'elites' in the jar are inside the legal system. If extra-legal persons get title, the 'elites' will be affected by this rural empowerment and they will fight it. De Soto says that for those 'in the jar', we need to build a bridge so they are prepared to cross it and so that the extra- legal sector will also be willing to cross it. Consider how much the 'poor' own in untitled line (some trillion rand). De Soto says we should stop calling them poor. I grew up in South Africa in a time when people of different population groups seldom mixed. When I went to a township - as we called it - I say matchboxes with four rooms on 99 year systems, but when I looked at the amenities inside, I got a very different picture to what you would think. There was perhaps no cash, but they certainly weren't 'poor'. Another Participant: You talk about access to radio. We are just scratching the surface. Access to radio might be very high but look at access to batteries. Doe they have access to suppliers? Then on the Gender Issue, women and children don't decide what they are going to watch on the television. The man decides e.g. he is going to watch sport. Then there is the issue of the Communication Method: In Swaziland we have 'infotainment'. That is the use of music, dance, drama, recitals etc. to communicate. Consider this! Another Participant: Many people are excluded from access to the legal system and don't have the knowledge of what else they can do. They are excluded from energy systems and the education system. Another Participant: On Information Dissemination - specifically television news. It seems we are leaving out a small but just as important group - the deaf. Talk of the Nation certainly encompasses them, but are we saying that is the only important programme to watch? Television new contains much important information and some of it is in the newspaper. It is probably due to lack of funds but we are leaving out this small group. Mr. Jafta: The content of the medium must be considered in terms of social and cultural impact. Radio, television, publications, it doesn't come neutrally. It comes with something on it. But how do we control it? When it was books, we didn't write enough. When TV came, we didn't produce enough. How many websites do you think there are in Namibia? There are about 200 and half of them don't function because of missing links and things. Are we producing enough cultural content? Another Participant: Looking at Energy, Poverty and Gender in the curriculum - in Lesotho, we were involved in the promotion thereof. We identified the Curriculum as a starting point for them to understand the difference between energy the energy options. We didn't include Gender in the curriculum. Education and Training, yes, but the children didn't understand the real differences between genders. Another Participant: We often make conclusions before knowing the truth. There is a story called "Who is the Mad Man?". Traditionally people bathed in the river. The man goes into the water. A mad person picks up his clothing. The man chaseshim to get his clothes. They run past the people of the village. The mad man with the clothes is in front. Now the naked man is running past the people. So who is the mad man then? On the issue of information, what happens, like in this seminar: the media comes in to inform and educate but they only cover the opening speech and what the Minister said. The real issues are not covered. It's an issue of the inner pool and those outside the pool. When we talk about the poor - the previously disadvantaged, we talk about ourselves. Go to the rural area and you'll see they are currently disadvantage. You can't take the urban vocabulary to the rural area. Information - Economists are one-sided. They only talk about 'below the breadline'. What about those 'above the breadline'? We must look to this area to help those 'below the breadline'. In a rural setting, they don't, like us, have Powerpoint Presentations and the like because they don't have electricity. We go there, see this as an inconvenience and so we want electricity there. It isn't for the poor. It is for us - and this comes back to us in the end. Another Participant: Education and Training is the core. If you are educated and have skills, you are employable and can earn an income. Recurriculate so that Gender, Poverty and Energy are addressed in the curriculum. The school as a social entity has a role to play. Have the household play a role in the socialisation process too. Enhance or market the career in the school e.g. engineers. Get money to fund students to do studies. We must consider the possibilities. Bring the legal issues on board. They don't understand how it works. Information management - we have to be learning countries. Establish centre that are friendly and accessible to rural people. Mr. Jafta: Travel time must be considered. Unless there is a PC at home connected to the Internet, they are not likely to access it. It's too far to travel. I believe the television was the worst invention - it's not an education tool but then that does depend on the content, doesn't it? Yes, travel time was two hours before, now it's 40 minutes. By setting targets we can do it, but they will still be dependent on available communication technology like the telephone. You can't dial up without it. You can do a lot through Education and Training, but you can't do everything. Investing only in Education and Training won't get us out of the quagmire. There must be other vital activities. Do I disagree with the idea that education makes one employable? Yes. Perhaps when you and I left school it was so. Now, there are so many Namibians with degrees who cannot find work. Yes, it's about content. We in the energy sector must take quality content to them, but we teach the way were taught. It is more important to teach what is needed. We must teach general competencies, enable them to learn how to learn so that when they leave school, they can still learn. But then, the general education system can't produce 'little artisans'. How do we know the job is still going to be there? Same Participant as before Mr. Jafta: We must react to the environment. Education, training, integrated knowledge and skills. Go and re-curriculate, revise and update the curriculum. Mr. Jafta: But don't put the high expectations on us, saying we must produce artisans. We can't predict accurately and so the people must be able to change and adapt if that job is not available. Children must now decide on what they want to do a lot younger. Before one decided at University when one was already 21. Now children at 18 must already decide. Another Participant: In South East Asia, about seven years ago, we looked at how Singapore had evolved over several years. They boasted about being First World. Thirty years before, they had decided they would invest in human resources and education. In South Africa, we have the right fundamentals like good fiscal discipline, but we have a shortage of skilled people. We shouldn't play down the importance of education, but we must look at the content. Mr. Jafta: It's not just one thing. They also had access to capital resources, markets… Another Participant: I don't know what kind of Information Disseminatoin you referred to but you excluded Education as a media. We visited some schools and I was shocked. I don’t think we should try to get people into the energy sector at tertiary level. Start with the little kids. The teachers don't even know anything about Energy. When we asked them, they said this is 'power'. I showed them a piece of paper moving in the wind. They didn't understand my point. We spoke to Standard Five's - showed them a tape recorder and a filled some paper with water and asked them what would happen because the teachers didn't know. Check how many ladies are in the energy sector. Generate interest from when they are young. Mr. Jafta: That's due to the history of our curriculum. You could leave Science in Standard 8 or whatever. Another Participant: But a Language Teacher wouldn't know the answer. Participant before Mr. Jafta: I'm saying that if kids hear about energy, they will grow up with it. Mr. Jafta: Yes, look at the curriculum content from an early age. Same Participant: The other thing about Information Dissemination - we had English and Seswate booklets. The parents did not educated - they're illiterate. The children carried over the information as an information dissemination mechanism. Lastly, you talked about people in rural areas. They ask "Would you do this or implement this in town". You answer no and they ask, :"If it's not good enough for you, then why should we do it?" My Ministry tells the Works Department to build in such a way that we can put in hot water systems. Our colleague at the office is an example to us all. He goes around switching off lights and switches. We forget but he leads by example. He does it himself. Another Participant: We are concentrating on the future but now we must work also with those who missed the opportunity and change current policy. Take, for example the Malawian initiatives to help small businesses. They get the capital to get their business going but their priority is to clothe and feed their children, so them spend their money on this. We also need complementary information - like knowing if they can meet their basic requirements. Mr. Jafta: Yes. Seychelles borrowed heavily and now have to pay it back in foreign exchange, but we can learn form it. They didn't give that capital without a requirement for competency building. If you asked for money, you'd be required to use some of it to access skills - not just business skills but in your actual field. Another Participant: Even a teacher of Religion should use energy in his house and should know something about it. Maybe teachers aren't empowered? Say a person with a degree gets a job at a Ministry. They are empowered to do that job, while an Energy-educated person doesn't work hard because he or she is not empowered. Another Participant: Do we really make information on energy available? To include energy in the curriculum will take some time but we can visit speakers. Take the Aids way. Get people to talk about energy at all levels of education from primary up. Mr. Jafta: How can the system take these efforts on board and integrate them to prevent fragmentation? Over the last 10 years, we've seen so much integraion but the Education system is behind. The Polytech only teaches four disciplines: Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and Electronic Engineering. When we go to the workplace we need all disciplines and they aren't covered. We are trying to bring these in at the tech, but why not integrate everything as a whole. Yes, we should set up our own marketing and address education. The Curriculum Reform Task Group is now reviewing how to get this all in. Another Participant: Everything is a process if you get the ability to get indebted. Social contracts acknowledge ownership of land. If the legal system can turn it around and they use it independently. Ironically, some one was saying that people in rural areas are free. They can wake up without being indebted to anyone. It's a controversial statement. They can rest as they want, but if we're in the system, it enslaves us. And the system leaves you bankrupt. In rural areas people aren't declared bankrupt because they aren't indebted to anyone. You push people higher up the tree, only for them to fall. I'm not saying encourage people to sleep and not do anything. Isn't there another way we can do it without pushing people up only to fall again? Mr. Jafta: Some will fall and some will go to the top. Look at the old money of Windhoek. They were self-starters. They worked mostly in mining. But their families now - they aren't doing it. People who started with nothing did it. Another Participant: You must move up by using the system skilfully but the problem is that the poor are excluded from the system. Another Participant: I can't imagine Engineers doing everything. What about other subjects e.g. social acceptance of land. For instance, housework is not valued, but it is so important. I know of a story of children who teased one child because that child's mother was a house worker. She let the children do all the work - cleaning, washing, baking and so on and then they saw how much work it was. Like safety issues, we must also teach children how much work this is.

2.2.2 The Sustainability of Energy Provision and Poverty Alleviation Measures and Business Development in Rural Communities by Ms Tieho Makhabane, independent consultant The second presentation, a Work Group session under the theme of “The Sustainability of Energy Provision and Poverty Alleviation Measures and Business Development in Rural Communities" was presented by Ms. Tieho Makhabane of the Gender, Energy and Development Group in South Africa. Ms. Makhabane covered Energy as a Development Issue, Issues related to Energy, Poverty, Causes of Poverty, the Gender Perspective, Gender issues in energy, Energy for Poverty Reduction, Sustainable Energy, the Rural Energy Challenge, Gender in the Energy Sector, Practical Solutions, Practical Strategies, Recommendations and her Conclusion. Copies of Ms. Makhabane presentation were made available to participants during to the tea break.

Participant: Resources are lessening and this affects the woman. Traditionally, men eat first - the richest and best food. Then children eat. Then women eat. It is also our tradition for visitors to arrive unannounced and we haven't budgeted for that. The woman shares her food with the visitors and so her calorie intake is low. She must walk up and down to collect fuel and water and so there are health issues to contend with. Another Participant: I would like to know: how many ladies here at this seminar live in the rural areas. Before energy policy was finished, we tried to encourage households to make wood lots around their homes. One woman said that if she did that, she wouldn't have the opportunity to meet and talk and gossip with her neighbour, as she would if she had to collect wood away from home. They go together. Female Participants: But that is a social thing! Previous Participant: We want to try to ease the burden, but does the Environment and Climate Change issue we talk about consider fuel wood. I want to challenge the scientists on how much pollution airplanes cause, at which stage is the ozone? Jumbos are taking off all the time. Maybe it isn't what we are doing on the ground but actually those planes? You talk about the hazards women face collecting wood and things. Rural women and children must remember that men and male children are out in the mountains with their own dangers like snakes and monkeys. They are also at risk. Then, on health in the kitchen. You say the smoke in the kitchen is hazardous to women and their female children working in the kitchen. Why don't they simply install a pipe or chimney for the smoke to go out? The only problem with this, of course, is that if they are sitting in the lounge and the smoke is going out, they won't be aware of or be alerted to burning food! (Female) Participant: They don’t have lounges you know! Another Participant: I know of a story where the women broke the pump for water because they could now no longer get a chance to go out of the house and walk and talk with neighbours and friends. And you know, in my country, there's one tribe where the men are responsible for collecting water or firewood. Ms. Makhabane: It differs from location to location and we must ask: On whose behalf are we talking? We are in the seminar but talking about rural women. Have we consulted with them? Another Participant: It is wrong to make assumptions based on what we grew up with. Ms. Makhabane: It is dangerous. Things have changed and we can't just assume. Another Participant: We must explicitly acknowledge that this is a labour issue and we must think of labour-saving devices and sharing the load amongst the members of the household e.g. children go and buy the pre-paid electricity cards. This saves the woman's time and involves the household members. Another Participant: The speaker's last comments wee very important and noted previously by Mr. Jafta. We should be critical towards ourselves. We aren't there to defend our own thesis - we are there to tackle reality. It's about timing. The road we took to get where we are now, but don't assume. Prepare now. It took too lng to meet the child's needs. Foreign forces come with their own agendas. They fund only certain types of projects or fund a woman and then leave her on her own. There are market problems and water supply is a problem. The issue is to have an integrated approach. Don't add to the existing burden. Mr. Jafta: The Gender issue is not a "Woman Issue". It's about creating a balance. What about role models for male children? When we look at energy situations for crisis, to which we are heading - this is a global crisis. Industry is using energy in a way, which is not sustainable. We have sunshine for just about every day. What are we doing? This is our niche in energy. If some donors won't talk to us, try the others. Another Participant: Going back to solar technician training - does it really matter if only 10 of the 100 solar technicians trained were women? If a man can do a better job, there will be more money for the household and hopefully for the wife. Do we know enough about the linkages between the Gender, Energy and Poverty? Ms. Makhabane: This is very much under-studied. There is growing expertise in terms of research in the field. Previous Participant: We must look at the whole perspective. If we train 90 men, where is the income going? Are they providing for the wife? Is the wife being empowered? Is the family now released of the energy burden? Another Participant: We need to analyse the impacts. Previous Participant: But we don't know if general training has a spin-off effect, do we? Ms. Makhabane: If you do research, you'll find out. For the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), there will be books of case studies, which explain the findings of research. Another Participant: Mr. Jafta mentioned sensitivity to Gender issues. If there is a need for a Focal Point, a junior officer who is a lady is appointed as if the Gender Issue is a Woman's Issue. This person should rather be a decision-maker who can have an effect. Another Participant: Firstly, in Namibia, our Constitution is clear that women are equal and this is in our Acts and in the Ministry of Home Affairs. We must tackle the causes. Why is Tieho - a woman - talking about energy? Why did those in the rural areas not do so? Why are you so special? Ms. Makhabane: It's good to have policy and strategies. The challenge is to put it into action. We have come a long way. At least we have representation. It is still very closed. Energy Services companies are still mostly men, construction people. We have long way to go to learn to do so, and the same goes for men. Previous Participant: Again, why are you, Tieho, as a woman, in Energy? Nothing stops anyone from being like you. Other (female) Participants: It's about culture and attitude. Another Participant: Why can't women just do it? In some areas the law doesn't allow it. You're a minor. Gender roles differ. In Lesotho I'm a minor to my husband. If I want to apply for a bursary, he must sign or if I want a loan, for example. Another Participant: In traditional activities we use bodily energy. We sometimes deprived the community of information. For example we erect a power station at a settlement without consulting them. In Namibia we complain about yearly increases in tariffs but the community did not know where and at how much it is coming from. Inform people - both rural and urban, and men and women about water and so on. Explain development. Another Participant: Gender balance - he says it is about both. Ms. Makhabane: Having more women there doesn't mean that decision-making is actually affected. Women must be at decision-making level. Men are deciding on issues related to women. The Prime Minister's Office asked companies to report on their Affirmative Action and Gender status. I was privileged enough to be able to sit in one board as far as Gender is concerned. The MD was smiling saying therer is no problem with gender. He said there are more in his company. When we asked him about senior managers, he said there are 20. We asked him how many women are represented. He said: One. We asked him what she was doing. His answer was PR. So that is because they think women are good at talking. Another Participant: No policy stops women form gaining education. In Botswana we have more girls in primary than high school but in a science class of 35, only five are girls. Yet, nothing stops them. We must ask why this is so? They say science is difficult and they want an easy subject. In the tertiary sector, we must look at why they aren't in Engineering. The answer was that they don't want to wear the over coats and carry spanners around. Secondly, on energy - Greenhouse emission and acid rain caused by conventional energy, why don't we start using Renewable Ene;gy. The problem arising is that all SADC countries have un through the year but how much s going into solar panels. There are no policies drafted on this. With regard to the slide presented by Tieho, you indicated that Green House Gases can affect biomass fuel. Another Participant: If we use more biomass and burn carbon, by burning biomass we cause Green House Gases. Another Participant: Can I please explain this one? The ozone layer is destroyed by Green House Gases, which reduces with direct UV rays. They destroy certain biological and chemical processes, especially collection of water and minerals and there is the concern of skin cancer. Take Australia for example. From spending a very short time in the sun, the risk of skin cancer increases dramatically. UV rays also prevent certain germination and prevent some plants from flowering. Another Participant: No. It's the CFC's in things like refrigeration, which were banned under the Montreal Convention. Previous Participant: No, it's not just the CFC's. It's also things like cellphones, acids, methane and chlorides. Another Participant: I'd like to compliment Tieho on carefully and clearly alluding to Gender, Energy and Poverty. I can see you've worked a lot at your institution. You spoke of the JWSSD where you will represent Gender, Energy and Poverty and how it is here and how it is working. Ms. Makhabane: We are working as a network to reduce poverty. I have been involved in many global, regional and local working groups. We must think beyond the surface and find ideas from other countries. The Prepcom's negotiations are underway and we can contribute to the new policies and rally around global policy. Look at shared environmental impacts of all countries. What happens in Asia or even Canada also concerns us. So whatever interventions they have, we also do. On JWSSD participation we will try to share ideas on how we present women in energy at the JWSSD (E.g. wearing overcoats branded as "Women in Enegy". Another Participant: A Socio-economic Gender Analysis was done by the FAO using the UN System. Has such a system been used in the energy sector. Ms. Makhabane: Only elsewhere. It's new. Another Participant: I have some experience to share from the Donor side. I have received applications or N$ 6 million but only have say N$ 600,000 to allocate. It is good to ask what the community wants but they may answer: A kindergarten with air-conditioning because of what they have seen in cities. You don't advise it because you are putting the money into it. Alternatively, the applicant should come and outline the needs. With Aids, for example, we want a sex negotiation course. What can the woman do? She can't refuse the man sex. We wanted to get a Women's Group to do it. I couldn't find one to further this idea that an individual has the right to negotiate sex. When I approached the Ministry of Women's Affairs and Child Welfare, the response was: This is unthinkable! This is what a woman is married for!" The donor is part of the system. The donor must find or create projects that are sustainable. Some donors do fund the wrong thins. One gentleman here said that we have enough sun. This donor's should know. They do. There should be money available but projects focus on the western lifestyle. It think the western lifestyle is the problem, not the solution. Another Participant: Rather develop the project and devise a budget, and then source funding. Another Participant: Instead of seeing people as men or women, see them as human beings. We cry about high unemployment, but there are also foreign economic forces. They just told us to cut diamonds by 10% - how they got that figure I don't know. Try to go beyond and incorporate solutions. Another Participant: On the issue of girls dropping out of school, we must encourage them from primary school and they will have a love for it. Those working for energy companies are not making much money. I am a female and an electrical engineer but we are lower paid so maybe I won't encourage my daughters to take up this career. Another Participant: Let's think about what we can do with our resources to alleviate poverty.

Appropriate Technologies, Energy Efficiency and Rural Development by Mr Musooka Achilles, Uganda renewable Energy Association The last presentation for the day was presented by Mr. Musooka Kiwanuka Achilles of the Uganda Renewable Energy Association. Under the title, “Appropriate Technologies, Energy Efficiency and Rural Development", Mr. Achilles gave a General Overview, discussed Solar Photovoltaics, Solar Power PV Applications and Success Indicators before concluding his presentations.

Mr. Achilles was unable to stay to answer questions due to other commitments but asked participants to put forward their concerns to Mr. Boniface Gissima Nyamo-Hanga, BP Tanzania. Participant: Mr. Achilles was presenting on Appropriate Technologies, Energy Efficiency and Rural Development, but he only covered Solar Power. There is hydropower, some talk about wind farms but I don't know. In the case of the disadvantage of solar power not working when it rains, a wind generator can complement the solar power system. Another Participant: We need to look at hybrids and a combination of several options. Previous Participant: Whichever way, you can still get at least 24 volts and there are more options: biomass, biogas, and what about briquettes? E.g. dried banana peels make up briquettes. Mix it, compress it and use it. You have higher heat efficiency. Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: The presenter only gave his preference of solar but was not saying this is the only one. It depends on geographical location. Another Participant: It depends on your lifestyle. One can possibly get tired of having to calculate how much has been used so as not to overburden the system. Are we giving people the information? Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: When end-users buy the solar system, the seller must ask the clients needs and sell the right panel to the buyer. The customer must be trained and informed as to what to do and what not to do. The customer must ensure that the supplier knows for what purpose the solar panel is going to be used so that the supplier gives him the right equipment i.e. indicate the specific application. Previous Participant: But literacy levels in rural areas are low. Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: It's quite a simplified system since it was targeted at the rural sector. Another Participant: I disagree with the idea that Solar Power incurs lower maintenance costs. In our country, it's costing a lot and the amount exceeds the loans provided to users. The panel lasts long but batteries, controllers and inverters etc. only last say one year. Inverters, for instance, can cost R 6,000 up. Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: The Tanzania experts always train the people. The maintenance is actually simply. Check the water level, clean the battery terminal, clean the solar panel and dusting - these are simple things a Class 5 person can do. When we say long lasting we refer to the solar modules. These have a life span of say 25 years. If you consider all the parts of the system, the panel is say 40% of the total cost. If one uses the solar battery instead of a car battery, the battery should last for about six years, but it is expensive. Energy saver type lights should last quite long. Most repairs involve spare stocks and cards which most suppliers stock. With remote area customers you supply some spares at time of installation. Another Participant: Our Namibian ones last say only two years. Do you tell your clients about needing a new battery in a few years? Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: BP is a transparent company. Another Participant: At what level should ladies be involved. Does the Ministry of Mines and Energy have a programme to bring this information to grass roots? Secondly, I come as someone who implements a project but how do you get all this information to the people? Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: Yes, as Mr. Achilles said, all women should be involved at all levels from policy formulation to implementation. Previous Participant: Does the information through awareness campaigns reach the people nationwide? MME Official: Officials visit the regions annually, and pamphlets in major languages, media, radio on Biomass, General Energy Efficiency… Another Participant: The Ministry of Mines and Energy is putting lots of money into home power and energy efficiency. This information hasn't come your way though. The Ministry used television and print media at one stage. There was also representation at Agricultural Shows and also on Farmer Days in rural areas. The question is not being asked. We have the answer but no-one is saying "This s what I want". Previous Participant: Ministries must co-operate and co-ordinate plans. Another Participant: What about the Literacy Programme. People in need cannot read. We must contact Directorate responsible for areas and integrate these issues into the literacy programmes. Another Participant: In Malawi the UNDP, GEF and Danida funded the National Sustainable Renewable Energy Programme in mass media Communications, national radio stations. They took pilot projects and they explained their experiences on the radio programmes. There were slots where suppliers could talk about their services and government was also able to talk on its policy. So all aspects were covered. Another Participant: Were there increased sales as a result? Previous Participant: Yes, suppliers have seen an increase. However, advertising is still needed but it is expensive. TV ads don’t work. Sustainable energy campaigns are more effective e.g. putting money into small projects. Move away from the glossy brochures - that is the donor's way of selling the concept to himself. Another Participant: The concept of mini-grid system. Have your countries investigated it? Is it effective and more so than solar, conventional power etc. The missionaries in Tanzania have power supply for church activities. Another Participant: In Botswana we have a central light system for ± 20 households. Previous Participant: What about maintenance? Participant talking about Botswana central light system: It is cheap. We go there monthly and there are no problems. An SA Participant: In South Africa we have a mini-grid system with a mixture of technology. Water heating is done with solar heaters. We have this in parallel with gas so we can still heat water if it is overcast. We have solar panels for lighting and we are looking at wind-powered systems. This will depend on settlement density. For clumps of houses, this works perfectly. Most important to consider is the kind of settlement. Another Participant: On Information Dissemination, how do we build capacity and how do we equip them to understand. Sometimes it's little things. For example in the Eastern Cape, after they got solar power systems, they didn't know how to look after the batteries. They got the idea they must put in acid instead of water. Technicians should have told them. Technicians can also build capacity. There is also a different funded project involving training and energy awareness to help them and also training on appliance repair. There are many ways to assist communities. Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: With policymaking and Decision-makers, government also has a role to play in informing end-users. The seller must give the end-user the right information on how to maintain and care for their systems. Government must mark out reliable people to market the systems. They must have good technicians who can also train the user. If the user buys a system and it doesn't last, this gives a bad image. Government policy must be to entrust certain people with the task. Another Participant: If there is a special licence and the user is far away, how will the government know about others selling to people. Perhaps bring in accreditation. Another Participant: When you import PV silicone wafers, do you pay import tax. Mr. Nyamo-Hanga (showing a brochure) As you can see here, we often see people with the wrong cabling and this really affects the life of the solar system. In Tanzania, you must register as a professional solar installer and the solar industry is regulated by government. Another Participant: With the loan system for solar installations, is it prescriptive? Does it say what you must have? And my second question is: is it advisable to use both if you currently have electricity. Another Participant: You must be under 65 and earn a minimum of 15,000 per year. For businesses purposes, if you have other assets, these are also considered. Another Participant: Can I answer his second question? In the government in South Africa, we worked it out for far-flung places. Where we couldn't get the grid we bring in what we call Integrated Energy Sources. Those who make that provision i.e. service providers ensure maintenance, training of people and run a customer service centre where they also train locals. In other words, another form of energy. You must maximise your resources. Previous Participant: What I am asking is: can I use normal electricity and solar? Can I heat up the water this way? Mr. Nyamo-Hanga: You can use stand-by lighting systems for if there is a power cut. You can put up a solar light which can be independent and can interchange. If a big system, we sometimes go on power, other times on solar. So there are hybrids and they are quite viable.

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