Institutions that Inspired Sunshine Millennium & Our Needs

1. The 12 African Millennium villages set up by Jeffry Sachs (~ 2006)

2. The Barefoot College (1972) an NGO set up in Tilonia by Bunker Roy and SAMPDA (1994)

3. SELCO-India, Bangalore

WHAT WE NEED?

... to go from  Scenario A (a sleepy hamlet with lack of access and a lot of joblessness, desperation, and loitering)

to  Scenario B (a Smart and Connected Rural Hub)

Although a few NRIs and corporates have promised funding to "give back to society" we need to avail subsidies under MNRE's JNNSM and other government schemes and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs as Solar Energy is Capital intensive and tackling the MDGs needs trained manpower, technology, and adequate funding.

• Advice on JNNSM policies (e.g., how to avail subsidies, how to approach ministry etc., what does the detailed project reports need and how much funds have not yet been allocated and when are the deadlines)

• Advice on how to connect the villagers with technical trainers

• How to connect to those who would be interested in interning with us

• What kind of solar data needs to be collected to make a marketable resource (what kind of equipments/training is necessary)

• Advise on government rural employment generation, education, electrification, and infrastructure development programs (how to tailor our projects to dovetail/supplement with govt. policies)

• Corporates and companies to fund the Solar MD Centres as part of their CSRs

• Advise on how to tap domestic solar thermal and PV technology (So that money remains in the country)

• Advise on how to approach IREDA and other financial institutions

• Advise on how to approach MNRE to use cutting edge technology as opposed to proven but less efficient technologies (e.g., Thin Film as opposed to Crystalline Silicon solar cells etc.)

• Advise on how to identify a pilot project village and other villages that have immediate need for this project. Where will our work have maximum social impact.

• How to recruit manpower to sustain the MDCs

Eagerly awaiting assistance/expertise/advise/feedback and introduction to interested contacts.

Institutions/Enterprises that I think will be a good fit with the Sunshine Millennium agenda

BioLoo:

http://www.thebetterindia.com/11254/banka-bioloo-eco-friendly-toilet-social-enterprise-sanitation/

Tula: the organic cotton cooprative

Container Conversion companies

  Organic Garden Suppliers

Vermicomposting experts

Rain Water Harvesting specialists

Solar Consultants

CSR wings of any interested parties (esp. Pharma companies)

Medical and Teacher Training colleges :D