Environmental research

Under the Home Employment & Lighting Package (HELP), Solar Village Electrification Demonstration (SOVED) Program targets the grassroots level communities. These people generally rely on firewood from nearby forests for lighting, cooking and even for earning additional income for their survival in the village. This has huge impact on the household as well global environment. Burning firewood for cooking and lighting fills the house with toxic fume and smoke, inviting respiratory diseases. The program encourages to use villagers` skill to produce handicrafts in order to pay the solar system`s cost. It also provides skill enhancement training in order to improve the quality of handicrafts. This program also gives them opportunity not only to pay the system`s cost but also to generate extra income. This stops villagers cutting trees for selling purpose and the household environment becomes cleaner and healthier. The successful completion of the project will assist in addressing the operational programme of GEF/SGP by promoting renewable energy to grassroots level villagers. With the initiation of the project, 105 HH (additional one in Health post) have installed solar home system. The solar beneficiaries are involved in crocheting the hand bags and have produced more than 600 colourful bags in the process of repaying the loans. These bags have been sold in international markets. via e-commerce. The project is in the process of developing e-commerce site which is now in final stage. Unlike other business institution, involvement of NGOs in commercial transaction via e-commerce is rather new in the country. The preparation of Cyber law is still in draft stage in Nepal.

Nepal