Video | Serving India’s working poor by partnering with grass-root level organizations: Solar microgrids for Santal villages of Purulia District – West Bengal

Posted on by

Mlinda’ s Bony Tarafder and Champ Tudu tell the success story of a remote Santal rural community in Purulia District of West Bengal: about the new possibilities that came with access to lighting for the first time, health services and sanitation.

A film by Ruchir Saraf for milaap.org • Milaap.org is a new way of doing good. Giving loans to the communities in need of basic facilities instead of donations.

The ‘Mlinda model’

Our aim is to create a platform to generate behavioural change. We share the processes, findings and outcomes of our projects so that others can develop similar ideas elsewhere. This section contains updates on our projects and the thinking behind them. We welcome your input and ideas.

‘GRID-CONNECTED’ RURAL HOUSEHOLDS BUY SOLAR MINI-GRIDS
12.09.2014
Type: Project updates Subject: Rural Electrification

Rebecca Symington
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MLINDA

This summer, I swapped the European drizzle for the Indian Monsoons for my latest trip to our projects in West Bengal. This visit focused on our activities in Purulia District, West Bengal. It is the newest location we have expanded into with our electrification project. Our electrical installations are in ‘tribal’ villages, meaning members of the community are descendants of people who have lived there for centuries before them, experiencing little migration inwards or outwards, living off a local economy, with strong community ties and equally strong ties to the land. The 2001 census estimated “tribal” people to represent over 8% of the Indian population, more than 80 million people back in 2001. They have minimal access to communication, transport, financial, health and education services. If the Mlinda model works in this community, chances are our model could succeed anywhere in India, perhaps also beyond. […]

Important lessons to remember for now are 1) communities we may, from the outside, judge as poor and deserving only of charity hand-outs have a sense of ‘agency’ and control of the management of their resources, willing to pay and invest long term for services they value; 2) communities that already “electrified” are as deserving of solar electrification as those that are “off-grid” – and from an environmental perspective, perhaps more so as they compete with coal powered systems; 3) there is room for behaviour change interventions, or environmental stewardship activities, even in low-carbon economies.

Source: ‘GRID-CONNECTED’ RURAL HOUSEHOLDS BUY SOLAR MINI-GRIDS | Mlinda
Address: http://www.mlinda.org/grid-connected-households-prefer-solar-mini-grids/
Date Visited: Thu Aug 20 2015 01:09:47 GMT+0200 (CEST)

What we do?

We support India’s working poor by partnering with proven, credible grass-root level organizations (our Field Partners) to identify deserving borrowers, the amount of financial assistance they need and their goals. Our network of volunteers work with field partners to edit and review their loan profiles. We are then able to link them to people across the world who are willing to fund them. 100% of your funds go to the end borrower, and you have the ability to transparently track repayments and the impact created. | To read the full text, click here >>

Source: Fundraise for a Cause with Milaap : the Best Crowdfunding Site | Milaap.org
Address: https://milaap.org/about-us/overview
Date Visited: Thu Aug 20 2015 00:40:42 GMT+0200 (CEST)

In order to reach a broad range of borrowers, as well as serve the interest of all the stakeholders (borrowers and lenders), Milaap engages in a rigorous five step process to identify and select field partners.

1. Milaap ties up with a local partner | To read the full text, click here >>

Milaap identifies and partners credible, proven non-profit organizations and social businesses with a range of organizational types including microfinance organizations, vocational training institutes, artisan supply chains, schools to name a few.

Milaap’s field partners are established organizations that have a strong presence at the grassroots, a deep understanding of their communities and challenges, and a commitment to serve their needs.

These organizations disburse Milaap loans on the ground to specific borrowers and groups after identifying and appraising their applications. […]

Source: Fundraise for a Cause with Milaap : the Best Crowdfunding Site | Milaap.org
Address: https://milaap.org/behind-the-scene
Date Visited: Thu Aug 20 2015 00:35:28 GMT+0200 (CEST)

Contact us

  • No. 549, 1st Floor, 26th main, 14th cross, JP Nagar Phase 1, Bangalore, India 560078
  • (+91) 8880340333
  • [email protected]

 

Source: Fundraising Campaigns Online – Support Campaigns Started by Friends & Family on Milaap.org | Milaap.org
Address: https://milaap.org/campaigns?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search=purulia
Date Visited: Thu Aug 20 2015 00:38:18 GMT+0200 (CEST)

Tips

Related posts