Solar-powered Radio Project - Haiti

This project uses simple technology to sustain 5 community radio stations run by peasant organisations and grassroots coalitions in different parts of Haiti. The basic idea is to address a lack of resources in one area (money) by turning to a resource that is plentiful - solar energy. All parts of Haiti receive approximately 12 hours of uninterrupted sunshine each day. Even during the rainy seasons, showers are usually of short duration.

Bio-Design, a UK-based NGO, offered organisers a do-it-yourself technique for producing low-cost solar panels. Instead of using normal dry cell batteries, transistor radio sets of the type commonly used in Haiti can be powered for several hours by a NiCad battery pack that is re-charged each day by a small solar panel exposed to sunlight for approximately 6 hours. The total cost of the materials needed is around US$3.

The community radio stations, each in remote rural areas, have been provided with a quantity of solar panels, NiCad batteries, wires, and diodes with which to convert radio sets to solar power. The hope is that they will be able to raise revenue and generate income by converting radio sets owned by members of the communities (both existing and potentially new listeners) for a small fee. In this way, the project is designed to help the stations develop a larger audience by making listening to the radio more affordable.

Community Radio, Economic Development.

Organisers explain that the level of poverty in Haiti is such that even owning a radio set is no guarantee of being able to use it. Current from the national state electricity company is infrequently supplied in urban areas, and not at all in most rural areas. Therefore, radio sets are almost always powered by expensive (dry-cell) batteries, a luxury that few rural families can afford. Organisers also point out that, once used and discarded, dry-cell batteries can cause environmental harm.

If the pilot project is successful, organisers hope to replicate it on a large scale throughout the country, starting with other members of the Haitian community radio station network. They say that the solar technology could also be put to use to convert dry-cell-battery-powered torches and to power water pumps. All the above, organisers claim, could be income-generating projects utilised by grassroots community development organisations.