Out of the box: Alternative energy campaign launched
Work in the sun? Interested in a solar-powered fan hat?
LAHORE:
Whilst building solar-powered shelter homes for flood refugees in Badin and Kashmore, two districts in Sindh regularly treated to temperatures of above 50 degrees Centigrade in the summer, several labourers collapsed with sunstroke.
Faces Pakistan, an NGO helping with flood-relief efforts in the region, came up with the idea of giving the labourers solar caps. The cap includes a small fan powered by a solar cell whose speed varies automatically with availability of sunlight.
The NGO started making the caps three months ago and has given them to 25 labourers working on 600 one-room shelter homes in Badin and 1,000 temporary refuges in Kashmore, as part of USAID-funded project.
About 100 caps and 200 t-shirts were on sale at Cinnabon Cafe near Hussain Chowk on Saturday. “This is just a small initiative to encourage electricity generation using alternative means such as the sun,” said Ali Imran Raja, who is in charge of Faces Pakistan’s Green Energy Campaign.
By mid afternoon, they had sold some 20 caps to café customers. “If they can spend Rs500 on a cup of coffee, I’m sure they can also purchase a Rs1,000 cap and move the idea forward,” said Elaine Alam, who is the programmes coordinator at Faces.
Raja said that some groups had expressed an interest in placing large orders for caps and then distributing them among those who work in the sun. “They are good for low-end labourers, traffic wardens, construction workers and security guards,” said Alam.
In a few weeks, an event for selling the caps will also be organised in Defence.
Alam said they were concentrating their campaign in affluent areas as the aim was to encourage investment in alternative energy projects. The funds from sales would be used to manufacture more caps for free distribution among those who need them, as well as to fund several social projects, including three in Lahore.
Faces Pakistan President Javaid Williams said the initiative was taken in view of the current energy crisis. “We are trying to educate people about wind and solar energy use,” he said. “The funds from sales will be used to educate students in villages across Punjab and Sindh about the importance of planting trees.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 27th, 2012.
Whilst building solar-powered shelter homes for flood refugees in Badin and Kashmore, two districts in Sindh regularly treated to temperatures of above 50 degrees Centigrade in the summer, several labourers collapsed with sunstroke.
Faces Pakistan, an NGO helping with flood-relief efforts in the region, came up with the idea of giving the labourers solar caps. The cap includes a small fan powered by a solar cell whose speed varies automatically with availability of sunlight.
The NGO started making the caps three months ago and has given them to 25 labourers working on 600 one-room shelter homes in Badin and 1,000 temporary refuges in Kashmore, as part of USAID-funded project.
About 100 caps and 200 t-shirts were on sale at Cinnabon Cafe near Hussain Chowk on Saturday. “This is just a small initiative to encourage electricity generation using alternative means such as the sun,” said Ali Imran Raja, who is in charge of Faces Pakistan’s Green Energy Campaign.
By mid afternoon, they had sold some 20 caps to café customers. “If they can spend Rs500 on a cup of coffee, I’m sure they can also purchase a Rs1,000 cap and move the idea forward,” said Elaine Alam, who is the programmes coordinator at Faces.
Raja said that some groups had expressed an interest in placing large orders for caps and then distributing them among those who work in the sun. “They are good for low-end labourers, traffic wardens, construction workers and security guards,” said Alam.
In a few weeks, an event for selling the caps will also be organised in Defence.
Alam said they were concentrating their campaign in affluent areas as the aim was to encourage investment in alternative energy projects. The funds from sales would be used to manufacture more caps for free distribution among those who need them, as well as to fund several social projects, including three in Lahore.
Faces Pakistan President Javaid Williams said the initiative was taken in view of the current energy crisis. “We are trying to educate people about wind and solar energy use,” he said. “The funds from sales will be used to educate students in villages across Punjab and Sindh about the importance of planting trees.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 27th, 2012.