Submitted by Nick (not verified) on Sun, 06/07/2009 - 22:20.
I always find myself on the fence on projects such as the one taking place in Les Anglais. Solar powered lamps to replace kerosene, great idea. There's a need, and the solution is green. But realistically, the price is high and are LED lamps really the answer? Doesn't Les Anglais, and the rest of Haiti, need public power?
I may be stretching here, but this reminds me of your a-typical medical mission to Haiti. Doctors often come to Haiti and hand out medicines with little or no follow up, something that would never be done in the rest of the world. In essence, InterIntel is providing camping gear as the solution to Les Anglais' electrical problems. Would this approach be done anywhere else in the world? By providing Haitians solutions in ways we would never dream of trying elsewhere are we not treating them as 2nd class?
I'm also frightened of the thought of people taking out loans for home solar systems. Do these systems include batteries and or inverters which will need maintenance and replacing? Micro loans are usually made for people to produce some type of revenue; in this case, $1.42 of monthly savings in kerosene. If one is expected to payback the loan from this savings the repayment cycle would be ridiculous. Add in upkeep and replacement expenses and I truly feel sorry for the person who took out this loan.
Call me a cynic, but the more time I spend in Haiti the less I believe the thousands of small, independent, religious and grassroots organizations are the answer to Haiti's problems.
In the long run I'd think this organization could help Haiti become more sustainable and have a more lasting impact if it worked with EdH and helped it find green solutions to the national electrical problem.
torn
I always find myself on the fence on projects such as the one taking place in Les Anglais. Solar powered lamps to replace kerosene, great idea. There's a need, and the solution is green. But realistically, the price is high and are LED lamps really the answer? Doesn't Les Anglais, and the rest of Haiti, need public power?
I may be stretching here, but this reminds me of your a-typical medical mission to Haiti. Doctors often come to Haiti and hand out medicines with little or no follow up, something that would never be done in the rest of the world. In essence, InterIntel is providing camping gear as the solution to Les Anglais' electrical problems. Would this approach be done anywhere else in the world? By providing Haitians solutions in ways we would never dream of trying elsewhere are we not treating them as 2nd class?
I'm also frightened of the thought of people taking out loans for home solar systems. Do these systems include batteries and or inverters which will need maintenance and replacing? Micro loans are usually made for people to produce some type of revenue; in this case, $1.42 of monthly savings in kerosene. If one is expected to payback the loan from this savings the repayment cycle would be ridiculous. Add in upkeep and replacement expenses and I truly feel sorry for the person who took out this loan.
Call me a cynic, but the more time I spend in Haiti the less I believe the thousands of small, independent, religious and grassroots organizations are the answer to Haiti's problems.
In the long run I'd think this organization could help Haiti become more sustainable and have a more lasting impact if it worked with EdH and helped it find green solutions to the national electrical problem.