Project Report
| Jun 15, 2007
Catching on like fire, but without the smoke
By David Sowerwine | Managing Director
![Women and Children May Work and Study]()
Women and Children May Work and Study
In the pictures below taken in May we see how electricity after dark, even the smallest amount, a lamp with two tiny LED bulbs, transforms lives. The mother can perform house-hold chores more easily, and children can now study at night, both of which are of the extreme essence in the fight against poverty. Most children in Nepal have to work for money during the day when not in school. By providing this family with a "Mero Bakas", Nepalese for "my box", a small rechargeable battery recharged by a pedal generator every two months, people feel productive and hopeful. Children, in particular, feel that their minds are valued.
![Children studying]()
Children studying
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May 2, 2007
High-Quality Batteries and Charging Boxes
By David Sowerwine | Founder & Managing Director
![Two months of light with our battery]()
Two months of light with our battery
We have made good progress with the EcoPower
systems in the past two months. Complete systems (PedalGenerator, Charging Centre with its 12 V battery), Charging Boxes and the home-lighting systems have been placed in three villages. By the end of May another twelve villages will be trained and equipped. The tests will continue through the end of November, at which time the first 'commercial' designs will be complete. There has been close attention
to the electronics in each system component to ensure that the two batteries--the big 12 volt deep cycle storage battery, and the smaller 6 volt battery that shuttles power to the homes--are protected from abuse. Batteries that are protected from excessive charging or discharging last much longer.
The twin LED reading lamps in the picture below use only .06 watts. They are waiting to meet their clients. In the second picture, a woman is holding "Mero Bakas", the Nepalese "my box" refering to the rechargeable battery which they take home and connect to the lamps.
![Holding "Mero Bakas", the rechargeable battery]()
Holding "Mero Bakas", the rechargeable battery
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Apr 23, 2007
Debut of the Pedal Generator in Nepal
By David Sowerwine | Managing Director
![Designing for Quality]()
Designing for Quality
This spring six generators will be out in local villages. A training session is scheduled to occur in each village at that time. The machines have been carefully designed to provide safe, efficient energy for simple home use, a far cry from kerosine lamps which cause indoor pollution and injurious fires. In this picture Ecosystems is working with a machine shop to perfect the design of the generator.
![Picture on cover of Almanac]()
Picture on cover of Almanac
![Almanac picture of founders, David & Haydi]()
Almanac picture of founders, David & Haydi
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