Bringing solar powered light to India's urban poor

<p> <u><strong>NEW OBJECTIVE: 200% (10.000 EUR)</strong></u></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Thanks so much</strong> for your support, contribution and kind words! Thanks to your overwhelming enthusiasm for the project, the initial objective has now been reached and I am now officially able to participate in lighting up the lifes of many of India's poor.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>But it's too soon to stop supporting</strong>! Given the enthusiasm around the campaign I have decided to set a <strong>new objective to reach 10.000€. Together we can make a real difference!</strong> </p> <p>  </p> <p> For the extra 5.000€ the allocation will be the same as previously described, <strong>i.e. 3.500€ (or 70% should I not reach the new objective) will go directly to Pollinate Energy, and will help us set up a new city even faster</strong>. The remaining €1.500 (or 30% should I not reach the new objective) will go indirectly to Pollinate Energy, covering the costs of running this campaign, other parts of my living expenses on the ground and the costs of vaccination before leaving. As a reminder, the total set up budget for each new city is c. 35.000€.   </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Thanks again, we count on you!</strong>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>My Campaign Goal is to raise funds for Pollinate Energy. Their mission is to improve the lives of India’s urban poor by giving them access to sustainable life-changing products.</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>MY MISSION</strong></em></p> <p>  </p> <p> I’ve decided to spend 12 months volunteering in India for a <strong>Not-For-Profit Social Business </strong>– <a href="http://pollinateenergy.org/">Pollinate Energy</a> – that brings solar powered lights and other life changing products to India’s urban poor communities that have no access to electricity and clean water.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>My assignment is to help Pollinate Energy expand and scale up their operations to another major city in India. </strong>Starting with the building of a Business Plan to determine which city is best suited for Pollinate Energy's business model, I will then be responsible for starting up the business in a new city with another city co-founder. There I will do everything from finding and setting up headquarters to recruiting, managing and training Pollinators, organizing the volunteering programs, developing partnerships with local organizations, managing operations, finance and HR, and building the customer base.</p> <p>  </p> <p> This is an incredible opportunity to <strong>take my experience and use it to contribute to a small yet fast growing social enterprise, also backed by United-Nations</strong>, pursuing a social and environmental mission. In my various positions at ING I have perfected my commercial skills and I gained strong insights into the management of a business unit in a highly professional environment. As a coach for the Ashoka Impact Program I helped small social entrepreneurs start or develop their business in Belgium. I will use these skills and experience to help Pollinate Energy expand their operations to another city.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img src="https://images.indiegogo.com/file_attachments/1187452/files/20150201015128-Installing_lights.jpg?1422784288"></p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>THE IMPACT</strong></em></p> <p>  </p> <p> Millions of Indians live without electricity, many of them in urban slums. The polluting and toxic fumes from the <strong>kerosene lamps</strong> many families depend on are the second cause of mortality of children and women in India. In addition, buying the costly fuel to power the lamps eats up a significant percentage of their humble incomes.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Kerosene lamps produce a very weak source of light; the children cannot do their homework after the sun sets and parents are limited to the most basic tasks which lowers their productivity and possibilities of generating income.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Better health, lower costs and increased productivity</strong> all help create much improved living conditions which constitutes a critical stepping-stone for people to get out of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_poverty">energy poverty</a>.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img src="https://images.indiegogo.com/file_attachments/1187457/files/20150201015314-IMG_2144__1_.JPG?1422784394"></p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR</strong></em></p> <p>  </p> <p> - More than 33,200 people living in Bangalore’s slum communities have been provided with solar systems.</p> <p> - Transitioning from kerosene to solar lamps, has saved more than 400,000 litres of kerosene and 960,000 kilograms of carbon emissions to date.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Here's a link to <a href="http://pollinateenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Impact-Statement-Final-June-2014.pdf" target="_blank">Pollinate Energy's Impact Assessment report</a> to find out more.</p> <p>  </p>