Solar lighting project recognised in Premier’s Community Volunteering Achievement Awards
ATA receives Volunteering Achievement Finalist Award
Victoria – Tuesday 05 January 2010
The Alternative Technology Association (ATA) is the recipient of a 2009 Premier’s Community Volunteering Achievement Finalist Award for bringing planet-friendly solar lighting to East Timor’s poorest.
Over the past 6 years, volunteers with the ATA’s International Project Group (IPG) have traveled the length and breadth of East Timor installing over 350 small-scale solar power systems in homes, health clinics and community centres.
East Timor is one of the poorest countries in the region with an estimated 40% of the population living below the poverty line.
Anton Vikstrom, ATA’s International Projects Manager, says this harsh statistic is highlighted when the sun goes down.
“In rural areas people prepare and eat their meals using candles or polluting kerosene lamps, the less fortunate have to manage in the dark”.
Mr Vikstrom says solar power is ideal for remote communities because the running costs are low and solar systems require little maintenance.
“Solar power is sustainable and cheap. It costs just $5,000 to power a health clinic that services dozens of patients a day, and $150 to provide basic lighting for a house.”
IPG volunteers spend their annual holidays assisting Timorese communities to install roof-top solar systems, and providing local people with education and training in solar panel installation and maintenance.
In 2009 the IPG was commissioned by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) to develop a nationally recognised solar power training course for Timor-Leste.
Mr Vikstrom says the results of the ATA’s work in Timor-Leste have been tremendous and the future of the IPG is looking bright.
“Ironically, the aim of the IPG is to become redundant in East Timor. Sustainability is not just about green technologies it is about knowledge transfer, and making sure communities can install and maintain renewable technology systems themselves.”
“We are now working with Indigenous Australians to develop solar lighting projects for their communities.”
