Gambia: Give a Fishing-Rod, not a Fish
In Sikunda, Gambia, the 700 villagers live without power supply or running water. A few months ago the German charity organisation Yirabah Gambia e.V., based in Borlanden/Germany started a project to bring in some SOLUX solar lights. Leading member Siegfried Ester is pleased that so far funds of 1600 Euros could be raised: “This allowed us to send an initial 60 SOLUX solar lights to the village and sell them using a micro-credit system. The reactions were extremely positive, so we will continue the project”.
The solar lights allow for a lot of activities after dark which have hardly been possible before, like housework, studying, or social get-togethers in the village. The ability to charge mobile phones with the solar panel is of great importance to the villagers too, since this is the only means of telecommunication in Gambia. Yirabah aims to provide SOLUX solar lights to all households in Sikunda, but there’s still a long way to go.
Siegfried Ester explains his organisations’ self-help approach with an african proverb: ‘if you really want to help somebody, give him a fishing-rod, not a fish’. Yirabah sees donations as the wrong way for sustainable progress and real partnership. That’s why they decided to make the solar lights available through micro credits. The customers have 10 months to pay back the purchase amount - without interest. Yirabah re-invests the money into the project until all households are provided with solar lights.