b'N E P A L See Solar, Cook Solar, Solar Power M A L I and Cooking, Koriom, Mali -reducing the burning of wood, and creating revenue for the women of the communityThe Nepal Solar Lanterns Project , with aspendof3,615,providedsupport See Solar, Cooktocommunitiesaffectedbythe earthquake in April 2015. CommencingTheSoroptimistInternational(SI)Improvingschool Solar, Nepal -in June and completing in DecemberAlliance,Timbuktu,submittedaplanresults by 80 percent for a Project in Koriom, Mali,situated combating the2015, Partnering with Digdarshan NepaleighteenmilesfromTimbuktu.Withthrough better access ,whoworktopromotetheeducation disproportionateofgirlsfromunder-privilegedsocio- projectedcostsof11,000,twentyto electricity and solar households would be provided with solarlightingimpact ofeconomicbackgrounds,SeeSolar,Thevisitsincludedacentreforthelighting, empowering and enabling over CookSolardeliveredsolarlightsand natural disastereducationalresourcesandmaterialselderly, located near the Pashupatinath140persons.Soroptimistsworkedwith temple,andanorphanageinJorpatia supplier and in collaboration with the on women andtofamiliesinthequake-hitareasofKathmandu. KoriomsWomensAssociation,who Dandagaun,intheRasuwaDistrict, girlsandthesurroundingvillageslocatedThe villages affected by the earthquakesupportedthe installation, ansd together in the hilly areas of Shivapuri Nationalwerelocatedinveryremoteareas,the local knoweldge and expertise would Park.ofteninaccessible,andthereforethehelpimplementtheprojectwhichwas OutsidetheDandagaunvillage,knowledge and commitment of the localfromtheoffsetwasextremelycomplex Soroptimist Team was critical to success. due to the instability and inaccessibility lanternsweredistributed,withvisitsDespite many challenges, Soroptimists,of the location and language. takingplacetothoseinthegreatestsuppliers, the coordinator, and membersKeyobjectivesweretoreducethe need, including the elderly, women onofDigdarshanNepal,successfullyburning of wood for fuel by 50%, and to their own, and those with disabilitiesdistributed200DLampstohomescreaterevenuegeneratingactivitiesfor andwhomightbefullydependentensured smooth implementation.the women in Koriom.With a focus on upon others for their livelihood.education,improvingtheschoolresults oflocalchildrenby80%,wasalsoan objective,aswasimprovingsecurity through the electrification of dwellings at key strategic points.SunfireSolutions,SouthAfrica,were selctedasasupplierforsolarcooking facilities who delivered all equipment andTheKoriomhouseholdsrepresent undertook the training.someofthepoorestbeneficiariesto AFrenchandEnglishspeakingreceivefundingfromthe2013-2015See Soroptimist Coordinator based in Geneva,Solar,CookSolarAppeal.Thedelivery, with vast knowledge of the location wasalthough complex, provided a particular put in place to be the main point of contactexperiencefortheteam,andthiscan for local Soroptimists in Timbuktu.be utilised in the development of future CommencinginMarch2016atacostprojectsthatdemandbespokeplanning of17,900,theinstallationstagewasand solutions. challenging,althoughexpertlyhandled bythesupplier,andSunfireSolutions, suppliedequipmentanddelivered traininginBamakototheSoroptimist team, who subsequently arranged delivery toKoriom,wheretheinstallationtook Solar lamps for the community place.10 11'