The Solar Energy Foundation is a non-profit organization that is working for rural development and poverty alleviation by providing solar energy in rural and marginalised areas worldwide.
They go to people who do not have access to clean, reliable and sustainable energy. We stay with these people to accompany their social and economic growth. They work together with rural communities for development and prosperity in rural areas.
Their approach is holistic: they recognize the complexity of each development and therefore they do not focus on one single aspect. For a permanent change, they bundle rather the diversity of tasks (training, financing, production, installation, customer service, etc.) in an overall strategy. This will ensure that not only isolated, individual projects are implemented, but an overall development is provided.
They combine social and financial sustainability. That's why they act as a hybrid organisation: using the advantages of a charitable organisation and socially responsible companies to enhance the efficiency of their work.
They are a strong network of organisations and companies with different tasks and responsibilities, working together to achieve the goal of rural development.
StS International Network for Rural Development
StS International Federation is the Association of all "Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation" worldwide. StS International is based in Zurich (Switzerland).
Activities
Light for education - The Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation also installed solar light in many rural schools. This way, classes can take place also in the evening. In many villages, such evening classes emerge also for adults. Here the initiative comes mostly from the village women, who now want to use the solar light in the school to learn how to read and to write.
Health – Solar cooling systems have however significant advantages: the operational safety is significantly higher due to the autonomy from fuel transports, and the operating costs are much lower. Moreover and thanks to solar light, it is possible for the medical staff working in the field to tend patients also in the night. Thanks to solar light in health clinics, it is also possible, safe and reliable to provide medical assistance to illnesses, births or accidents. Without sufficient light, medical assistants are often not able to help the sick and pregnant women.
Water – Solar energy can ensure clean drinking water supply through appropriate water disinfection systems. Moreover, solar energy offers an affordable and reliable solution to assure the supply of this essential water.
Poverty Alleviation - Reliably available and at the same affordable energy is the basis for any economic and social development - and thus a key to poverty alleviation in developing countries. Solar energy allows people in developing countries to improve their living conditions by themselves.
Where they are
Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation is working with national foundations in three countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Philippines. Also they work with local partners organizations in Kambodscha and Uganda.
Furthermore they accompany several organisations in Africa and Asia in their effort to alleviate poverty though solar energy. They train solar technicians, design projects or provide professional support for installation and end user training.
In Europe Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation is represented with own foundations in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
