For more than five years we have been working on availing Solar Tuki, an intermediate solution for light, to rural and poor populace in Nepal. The biggest constrain in obtaining a light system are funds. It is through cooperation of Micro Finance Institutes that made the Solar Tuki system affordable to most of the customers. Nonetheless, the rural poor populace lack the cash thus do not have the capacity to access to such loans. So what is the alternative for them?

Paying by means of labour. The access to credit is through labour. Work for Light is not a new concept. In Bhojpur under Rural Access Project roads through out the district have been constructed. Cooperatives and other contractors involved in the project integrated Work for Light initiative for their workforces who depend on kerosene for lighting.

In the same manner, taping into the VDC's development budget by creating a revolving fund for Solar Tukis could provide a solution for the rural poor. Since the fiscal year 2062/63 the Government of Nepal has increased the annual VDC budget from NRs 0.5 million to NRs 2 million in FY 065/66. This development budget is mostly used to build up road access, safe drinking water, education and health facilities and electricity.

The average labour cost per day is NRs 190. By involving rural poor in development activities, they can be given at least four days of work in a month, out of which their two day labour (NRs 380) would be an instalment payment for the Solar Tuki and the remaining two days earning can be their additional cash income. At this rate a Solar Tuki set can be paid off within 8 to 9 months.

On an average a VDC has 600 households. By allocating a revolving fund of NRs 320 thousand 100 households could be supported at once. At this rate the usage of kerosene base lamps in a VDC will be nullified within five years without any additional investment to any one. And if the VDC wishes to accelerate the process they can increase the revolving fund accordingly.

Where there is will there is way. If the local development agency and the local government really wish to get rid of the kerosene based lighting in the rural and poor households by replacing it with the proven technology of WLED based solar lighting system, they can. I believe that we have the finances and the possibility to bring Light for All.

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