Chris Madine, associated with the Arkleton Trust, UK, has completed the international monitoring mission, phase 1, regarding the solar electrification project of the Snowchange partner communities in Lower Kolyma, Sakha, Siberia. The report is available here.
Mr. Madine, working with the communities as well as the project partners Barefoot College and Snowchange Cooperative documented the events and turns of a very complex international effort to bring sustainable lighting solutions to the nomadic peoples of Northeastern Eurasia. The project was launched in Autumn 2007 and became a part of the Mahinekura Reinfelds Declaration of Snowchange 2008. The project will continue with further implementation and monitoring over the next year as the panels will be used in the reindeer brigades. This monitoring will include community visits, keeping of diaries on the successes and problems of the panels and interviews with the key stakeholders. We as well look forwards to expanding this initiative with our partners.