May 29, 2010 – Katsina - Jigawa - Kano

Drive Time:
Katsina-Jigawa (Gumel) = 2.5hrs
Jigawa-Kano = 1.5hrs

Today we visited the Kadabiki community, situated in Kankara local government area of Katsina state. What a warm welcome from a unique village – the inhabitants are all pure hausa, but Christians! The church in the community is old but their faith is strong.
The primary healthcare centre (kadabiki Community Health Post) looked no better, with broken windows and hardly any hospital furniture – but the people just trudge on. The village Head, Tukur Mani Danmarabau thanked us profusely for bringing the solar concept to his village. One of the Ward Heads (Yahuza Usman) and the village Head’s wife were trained on how to use our solar lamp gift/phone charger.

The village Head’s wife is interested in becoming a Barefoot Solar Engineer but she and her husband agree they will discuss the matter at length - who will take care of the children? Can she be away for 6 months on a training programme? etc. Our local contact Gloria Mfon was simply fantastic, not only because she helped us navigate the cultural waters of the village, but also because of her infectious zeal to to serve rural areas.

From Katsina town, we headed to Gagarawa local Government Area in Gumel Emirate (Jigawa state).

A small entourage Abbas Jurimi & Maryam Haruna (programme Accountant and Programme Manager respectively of the Women Enlightenment and Empowerment Foundation – WEEP) escorted us to the home of the Director of Gumel/Gunduma Health System (Pharm. Hamza Maigari Kakudi) who set aside his weekend leisure and went with us to inspect the Makilili basic healthcare clinic.

But not before we paid a courtesy call on the village Head of Maikilili, Alhaji Ishau, with whom we sat on mat to receive a short but profound prayer.

We all trouped to the Maikilili basic healthcare clinic, which is approximately 11km off the Gumel major road. It is a new building, but completely off-grid. No electricity poles at all. As has become the trend, the clinic attendants work after dark with torchlights!
Again, we presented our solar lamp gift which we have come to realise is badly needed in rural areas. That, and mosquito nets. We received a round of applause from children, youths and adults, many of whom were seeing a solar appliance for the first time. The people up here are so appreciative.

The greatest surprise of all was an unplanned drive to the Niger border. Our hosts actually saw to it that we crossed over a few metres into Niger!! It was great conversing with a Nigerien Gendarme who spoke both French and hausa. We stepped on Niger soil at exactly 4.10 pm today. The border village is called Adare. After a few photo ops, we turned right round and drove to Kano

We got into Kano at about 5.30pm. Travel ended for the day.

Connectivity
Internt: GPRS connectivity from Glo. Still slow but a little faster than yesterday's experience.
Mobile phone: Glo & MTN work Ok

May 28, 2010: Gusau (Zamfara state) - Katsina

Very interesting day. We visited the Rijiya Tsakadawa community in Gusau Local government area of Zamfara state. It’s a community that is far off the beaten track, approximately 28 km (round trip) from Zaria road in Gusau.

Our contact, Mallam Shehu Fada, was extremely helpful in guiding us to this remote area. No description would have gotten us to Rijiya on our own – through abandoned rail tracks, rocky hills, bumpy paths, eroded grounds and winding batches of clay huts.

On our way to the village, we were lucky to run into the head of the community – Alhaji Umar Ibrahim (Sarkin Yarki Rijiya) – who stopped to chat and photograph with us while thanking us for coming all the way to his village. He says he knows a bit about solar and looks forward to working with us in transforming Rijiya into a well-lit community.

The Primary Healthcare centre in this location is yet another one without light. It does house a solar panel which is able to power just the refrigerator for vaccines.

The Facility Head, Sani Musa Gusau, showed us the torchlight that had become the de facto means of lighting due to poor electricity supply. He insisted we take a photograph of the drip unit, symbolic of the difficulty the clinic attendants face when trying to fit a patient with a drip under poor lighting conditions. He grinned with relief at the prospect of the much brighter visibility that a 26LED lamp would bring to the centre – and this makes the work we do so worthwhile.

Our best shot of the day was the tiny, young ‘shepherd’ boy who so confidently herded sheep and goats.

We got to Katsina too late to visit our target Primary Healthcare Centre, which is one hour away from Katsina town. However, our local contact (Gloria Mfon – who speaks fluent hausa) received us very warmly. She runs an NGO called Women & Children Development Initiative. In our opinion, people like Gloria and James Yisa are the real HEROES of our time, working silently and determinedly to serve the rural populace, and empower women.

Connectivity
Internet: Barely passable GPRS signal from Glo Internet
Mobile phone: Glo, MTN and Zain work OK in Gusau and Katsina

May 23-27, 2010: Lagos-Abuja-Niger-Kebbi-Sokoto-Zamfara

May 27, 2010: Bida - Birnin Kebbi (Kebbi state) - Tamaje (Sokoto state) - Gusau (Zamfara state)
Drive time:
7hrs from Bida to Birnin Kebbi;
2hrs frm Kebbi to Sokoto;
2.5 hours from Sokoto to Gusau.

Rugged trip today. We went from Bida to Birnin Kebbi , Sokoto, and Zamfara.
In Kebbi, we visited the Amanawa Leprosy [primary healthcare] clinic in Kalgo Local government area and presented a lamp to Head of Facility, Mohammed Umar. Having had no light for years, and also having to work with a torchlight after dark, he was speechless when presented with a solar lamp/phone charger. He says it will make all the difference in dressing leprous wounds, especially as the clinic runs a 24-hour service. Our visit was facilitated by Mainas Ayuba (Social Economic Development facilitator, Leprosy Mission of Nigeria). Mr. Ayuba rang us three times after we left the location to express his profound gratitude.

Stopped to take pictures in front of beautiful clay huts at Kokon Sarki, and posed with camels at Murna Kan Iyaka – both villages are at the border between Kebbi and Sokoto states. Dave actually climbed atop the camel. I dared not.

In Sokoto, we headed straight to Tamaje where an NGO, the Life Helpers Initiative, runs the Goshen Development Centre for women, youths, entrepreneurs and children. The centre has had absolutely no light for two weeks because the transformer was blown. Head of the centre, Mr. Tayo Fatinikun, tells us that even when the transformer functions, they do not get electricity for more than 3 hours a day. The solar lamp will help the centre extend their working hours till evening so that crucial after-school development programmes can be held. Tayo is also our representative in Sokoto for sensitising women about our Women Solar Engineer training programme.

Our journey ended for the day at Gusau, Zamfara state.

Connectivity
Internet: Glo mobile Internet is just a tiny a bit better in Birnin Kebbi and Gusau (GPRS), which permitted my team members to browse for a short while.
Mobile phone: Glo & MTN work OK, Visafone is problematic


May 26, 2010: Abuja - Bida (Niger State)
Drive time: 4hrs from Abuja to Bida

God does work in mysterious ways. At the very last minute, Hertz – the world’s #1 car rental company – offered us a Totyota Hilux SUV for our trip. It was just what we needed for the rugged terrains we would encounter.

The Hertz staff were a delight to work with, which meant that right from the Country Manager (Christian Chigundu) through to the company’s officers in Lagos (Tunji) and Abuja (Eyiwumi Kolade), the service was seamless and polite.

The Solar for the Masses expedition officially kicked off from Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja at 12noon on the dot. The first major breathtaking sight was the colossal Zuma Rock, which used to be part of Abuja but is now in Niger state territory.

Three hours later, we get to Minna (Niger state capital). As soon as you get into Minna, a poster of former President Ibrahim Babangida welcomes you. He’s asking to be voted in as President in 2011.

In between Minna and Bida (about 1 hour apart), we see lovely looking huts (in the village of Dan Zaria ) and wonder aloud why they are so narrow. James tells us they’re not sleeping huts but for storing yams, corn and other crops. We stop by to take pictures with the indigenes who excitedly ask if they will appear on NTA (Nigerian Television). Whoa, they’re all clued up!

Just before arriving Bida, we catch sight of Maizube farm, which is owned by former military administrator, Abdulsalam Abuabakar. It’s a fresh products farm (churning out items such as milk, yoghurt and fruit drinks) and a large employer of labour.

We reach Bida and go straight to the village head of Danchitagi. His name is Mohammed Yaman and his title, Ndazhitsu of Dantchitagi.He prays for us, expressing surprise and extreme gratitude that ‘city’ people would give a thought to remote areas such as theirs.

Our general impression is that Northern folk are humble, polite and very respectful.
Next stop is the rural primary healthcare centre in Danchitagi village Primary Healthcare clinic. The centre’s healthcare attendants, Mohammed Bala Mohammed and Tsadu A. Mohammed, show us around the facility. Their clinic has no electricity at all, and has been so for as long as anyone can remember.

We present a solar lamp to the clinic attendants, demonstrate how to operate the unit, and they were besides themselves with joy, at the thought of no longer having to use the very dim torchlight they are forced to work with. Using a kerosene lantern is way out of the question because kerosene is too expensive.

Connectivity Report
Internet: Glo mobile Internet does not work in Bida. You get only a GSM signal which was no good for achieving connectivity.
Mobile phone: Both Glo and MTN work OK.

May 25, 2010: Abuja, Federal Capital Territory
It’s the day before lift-off, and we’re so excited to be in Abuja. Arrangements are frantically made to ensure a smooth departure tomorrow, May 26. Stanley Akpoke, Dave’s long-time friend from university days, is a big help.

The staff and Management of Crystal Palace hotel were the perfect hosts. Our patron, Gen. Momah (also Chairman of the hotel) was unavoidably absent, but his wife (the Vice-Chairman) took charge and ensured our travelling team was perfectly comfortable.

The travelling team consists of Dave, myself (Anne), James Yisa (of the Centre for Health & Development in Africa,Bida, Niger state), and a driver provided by our vehicle sponsor (HERTZ Corporation/Rent-a-Car).

Connectivity Report
Internet: Glo mobile Internet works well
Mobile phone: Both Glo and MTN work OK.

Sunday, May 23, 2010: Lagos
Dave Agbakoba (Solar Jooce CEO) arrives Nigeria from the US, and is welcomed at the airport by Solar Jooce’s Rural Women Selection Officer, Loveth Azubuike.

Tech Trail – Weapons for the road

Five days to departure and, my, did we heave a huge sigh of relief this afternoon. Our solar lamps were finally cleared through Customs and delivered to our doorstep at 15:45hrs, just in the nick of time for our trip.
In my mind, the blue lamps look like dots of light, yet I envision the future, when we will have connected so many villages (with lamps and solar panels) that the collective scenery will look more like islands and oceans of light.

Now that our team and products are in place, we need to concentrate on choosing the right tech equipment for the road. This can make the difference between a seemingly frivolous trip and one that captures/documents the essence of ‘Grassroot Nigeria’.

Here are some of the stuff we intend to pack into our mobile tech toolbox:

Mobile USB modem – check. Let’s hope it will support video, audio and data. We’ll know soon enough, and will be happy to share the highs and the lows.

Laptop – check. My ACER Aspire 6920 finally conked out after letting me down one time too often. I’d be wary of the ACER brand henceforth. I’ve tried HP in the past and it’s not been too bad an experience, but this tme, we’re hitting the road with a DELL, packed with just enough bells and whistles.

Camera – check. Again, it’s an ACER that does still shots and videos. It’s served me well over the months, and fingers crossed that our loving relationship will not cease. Otherwise, Dave’s got a backup Sony, and is bringing along a tripod.

Mobile phones – check. In Nigeria, you’ve got to be with 2-3 networks at a time because you never know which one will work. We will be giving live updates on which network works best – or not at all – in every village we visit. Of course, we’ve got the ubiquitous Blackberry on board.

Debit & credit cards – you don’t want to be carrying along unnecessary amounts of cash, so these plastic alternatives will serve us well. And who knows, we might need to live on credit some of the time.

Blank CDs/DVDs/Flash disk – check. There’ll be lots of backing up and transferring to do.

Digital Music – check. Try listening to Julio Iglesias, the music master himself. Whether you understand what he says or not, your troubles will def melt away (at least for a while). I’ve got him stored on my laptop, removable media and phone.

Anne

Fundraising 101 - Lessons from the field

When we coined “Solar for the Masses”, it sounded like we were embarking on something terribly exciting (and so it is).

However, starting a new group and raising money for the cause can be difficult and demanding, but we did not despair.

The thing to remember is that every Nonprofit starts somewhere. From our short stint in the field, we can honestly say that the best way to determine success is if:

1. you believe in the cause
2. you have committed volunteers.
3. you realise that the group doesn't have to be large to be successful

Aaaah, you must also have a focus and a target - What exactly do you want to achieve? When do you want to do it by? How much money will you need to do it?

As an example, our goals were:
1. to raise 3600 lamps and send and distribute them equally to rural communities in every state
2. to encourage rural people to move quickly move beyond the recipient mentality i.e step up from gratefully receiving solar appliances to MANUFACTURING these items all by themselves
3. In 36 days, to physically spread the solar message (solar is clean, free, renewable, safe for the environment) all over the country, starting May 26, 2010

Now, wait for this. The biggest surprise of all was that individuals have been our greatest source for fundraising!

When my friend Alima Atta (CEO, Sesema PR) got our solicitation by text, she didn’t bat an eyelid and immediately zapped me a return reply saying “Well done, girl!” Two days later, she had purchased an impressive number of solar lamps to support our cause. It was all so encouraging.

The same goes for all other individuals listed on the Partners page of our website (www.solarjooce.com) who took a pleasantly surprising leap of faith. Incredibly, we received two anonymous online donations.

Large companies? A-yai-yai, reactions from large corporations are far slower and more ‘cautious’.

Yet their smaller sized counterparts are agile and quick to take decisions. Nextek Platforms (our Web Partner) falls into this category, and were amazing in the way they decided, in a heartbeat, to throw their weight behind us.

In summary, and even though we’ve been a Nonprofit for a few months only, here are some key insights into fundraising:

1. Take it one step at a time
Seeking sponsorship is like running long distance – you must put one foot in front of the next, and not become overwhelmed by the initiative. One person (or entity) will definitely not save the world, but you can do your own bit while trusting that others will follow suit.

2. Keep your promises
Keep your word to donors, otherwise don’t make promises at all. People are already suffering from donor fatigue and are nervous that many Nonprofits do not account for the funds they receive. You don’t want to add broken promises to the mix of sins that Nonprofits are accused of.

3. Be relentless and shameless
Nobody will give you money if you are not absolutely passionate (almost to a fault) about your cause. You must be willing to talk to anybody and everybody about your cause, and not be shy/afraid to suggest how they can help. Once they see that glint in your eye, they will be moved enough [hopefully] to donate.

And that’s the end of this piece about life in the fundraising trenches.

Anne

Expedition date is around the corner

The countdown has begun. In approximately six days (May 26, 2010), our Solar for the Masses expedition will take off from Abuja (Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory). It's going to be 36 days of driving across Nigeria and delivering a combined solar lamp/phone charger to a rural area in each state.

On this first trip, we think it makes sense to give these solar appliances to basic primary healthcare centres and micro-businesses.

During our personal travels over the months, we've seen first-hand how rural clinics are forced to hand-made kerosene lanterns that emit damgerous fumes and give off very low lighting. Worse still, some healthcare centres use candles!

Phew, planning the logistics has been an intimidating task! But thanks to CRUDAN (the Christian Rural & Urban Development Association of Nigeria) - which has contacts in all 36 states of the country + the Federal capital territory - we've been able to 'parcel' our great country into 5 zones and take on the road trip, slice by slice.

Why are we doing all of this? Lots of people think we're out of our minds. But, that's just it! The shock factor has achieved the desired results, aye? The buzz about our supposed craziness has at least drawn people's attention to several issues tied to our journey:

1. The need to serve rural areas.

2. The use of solar in changing lives (you'd be amazed how the healthcare centre that receives a solar lamp gift can now attend to women in labour instead of turining them away due to lack of light).

3. Environmental protection. The essence of replacing dirty fossil fuels (such as kerosene) with clean, free and renewable energy (solar).

4. That illiterate women can absolutely be trained to become solar engineers!

Tomorrow, I'll let you in on our experiences during fundraising. Totally and unexpectedly lopsided...