November 05, 2007

“Powerful” Solutions To Meet Rural Needs September 2007



When 60,000 poor people were asked what number one thing they wanted, they said technology and information, not food and charity. The lack of clear exchange between developing world customers and product developers has led to significant failures. Stakeholders can create significant impact for the biggest segment of world population - the poor, but this group is difficult to categorize or label. The poor cover a wide range of environments, economies, & cultures. Subsequently many of the poor are considered too poor, unsophisticated, and difficult by private investment wishing to produce enterprises through social ventures and are often overlooked. However, strong partnerships with in-country NGO’s, specific solutions for particular problems, localized value creation, and access to enabling services such as financial instruments and credit will bridge this gap. dissigno helps create enterprise models for new or existing basic needs technologies helping technology providers & end-users to communicate and mutually benefit. Developing world communities gain from access to tools and technology addressing basic needs. Buying power and wealth is created for low-wage earners whose lives improve through investment and enterprise opportunity. Partnerships and tech transfer will further ensure success through execution excellence. Stakeholders not only gain market growth, but also benefit from product design practices in a real world laboratory. These practices further support developing world entrepreneurs by fostering ancillary enterprise development and education surrounding the initial product. Fulfilling these basic needs is the key step towards poverty eradication.

PILOT PROJECT:

Eco Systems and dissigno have teamed up for The Pedal Power Project. dissigno launched a pilot project, using Eco System technology, for 50 families in Bayonnais, Haiti in September 2007. Bayonnais is a community of 80,000 people without any electrical power. The Pedal Power Project created a valued product solution that is culturally sensitive, environmentally friendly, and economically sustainable. The pedal generator achieves this through an innovative technology that creates electricity through human power. Power is created through pedaling and stored in a 12-volt deep cycle battery, which in turn charges smaller 6-volt batteries (home units). The home units are then distributed with LED lights to members of the community on a rental program. An enterprise model for the charging station was executed with the technology to ensure sustainability. The technology and enterprise are owned by a partnership between OFCB Ministries, the community school and dissigno. It is being operated as a “for profit” enterprise. It provides distributed electrical power for community members, creates employment opportunities, and stimulates ancillary enterprises. dissigno’s pilot project provided installation of the infrastructure technology, service & maintenance, and enterprise support. Eco Systems provided operation training. dissigno will be assisting other community members in creating ancillary enterprises surrounding the initial product. This innovative service can scale and replicate easily with the addition of battery/LED units.

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