2-3 Septembre, 2009

I am officially addicted to fufu…at the beginning of this week I pretty much panicked at the thought of not being able to find it regularly (the bagged yam flakes that you find in the states are just not the same…) and have found a way to eat it at every meal since Sunday. I often wonder why the preferred meal of the Togolese is (ironically) so difficult to make and spoils quickly, but then I remember, because it is just so good. And rich in vitamins, and fills you up. Togolese cuisine and I have become very good friends.

My last weeks in Togo have been as fast paced as West Africa allows. I have made several trips to Lomé, getting (another) transit visa in order to get to my flight in Ghana, meeting with Maersk at the Port of Lomé to understand the logistics and necessary formalities for transporting my solar panels from the capital to FECECAV’s site in Kpalimé, and trying, again without success, to retrieve my recepissé. However, I made some serious ground, thanks to my dear friend Jacques at the CNM, a little yovo-attitude and a few thousand CFA (of which the latter is usually MUCH more well received…), SunPower Afrique will have its recognition by the Togolese government, and therefore security and relative ease for operations, by next week at the latest.

Everyone here was shocked at my tenacity, as after I was rebuffed and played by the minister’s assistant 2 times, 3 times, and 9 months later, I moved on and went over his head. The Togolese associations, trying to get the same recepissé for their projects (which, to be fair, are often dysfunctional NGOs that only exist to bouff money from the Europeean Union, UNDP and other such well-established international development organs that prefer to evaluate their water sanitation projects from an air conditioned office in Geneva), for the most part, wait. And wait. And wait. And you all know that patience is not one of my strong points (even after all I have learned here in Togo!) particularly with corrupt politicians’ chargés d’affaires.

I now have a friend in the Secretary General of the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Associations, and not only understand the protocols and fees, but have a stamped copy of the law. None of my partners take lightly my ability to get things done here, which is largely a product of the relationships I’ve formed because I embrace people and culture, will talk to nearly anyone but now also know when to keep my mouth shut, and am truly motivated by what I am doing.

On Saturday, Aminou and I gave a 30 minute radio emission on Radio Planete Plus, “The Voice of the Hills of Kpalimé,”explaining what solar energy and SunPower Afrique are, why they’re important in Togo and that if they’re interested, they should come to our solar power demonstration on Monday at Petite Suisse in Kpalimé. MC Jimmy played terrible 80’s love ballads for “breaks” and recorded the radio spot on a cassette, shaking his head with an awo when I handed him a blank cd.

I have been trying since I arrived to recruit people to come to Monday’s presentation, and hundreds of people knew about it. However, and highlighting even more the importance of the market sensibilisation, education and outreach I am doing, only about 40 showed up. And only an hour late. I was thrilled.

I greeted everyone in the audience and presented the agenda, as required, then gave a brief introduction to SunPower Afrique and why the deployment of solar energy is so critical in Togo. Then I gave a demonstration of how solar energy works, explaining how when the sun hits the panel, the electrons in the silica move around and create current, which is then stored in the battery, sent through the inverter and, ta-da! Lights up an 11watt CFL. Everyone clapped and cheered when the lightbulb came on. It was a great moment, for once I have no words to describe it. I then talked about the mission of SunPower Afrique, the pilot project, the new Solar Loan product and left time for questions and refreshments (which is why people showed up of course :)).

The Solar Loan terms and agreements are ready to go, including carefully calculated and negotiated interest rates and terms that can both maintain our mission of bringing solar to the poorest of the poor and sustain needs for loan management and overhead. Directors and Loan Officers have been briefed and are ready and willing to answer questions when interested clients inquire about the new product – my eyes and ears on the ground to start finding and qualified, interested candidates for the first round of Solar Loans in 2010.

I have learned more than ever this trip that a huge part of this project’s success, as well as my own self-respect, requires me to BE HERE. While I am needed in the states at SunPower, which continues to expand at a record pace, if I want this project to really take off in Togo I am needed on the ground. One month just does not suffice. To do one installation here and there, as with the roofs of MFIs, can be maintained in this way, but to grow the Solar Loan program, which is what I am increasingly inspired by, I will need to spend more time in Togo each year.

The presidential election is in February, which falls unfortunately right when I wanted to return and launch the pilot project. In 2005, there was patchy to severe violence surrounding the elections. Today, people are even more disillusioned with Faure and there is the petite problem of his imprisoned brother Patcha and his supporters. And then there is always the French, with their diplomatic fingers deeply and inappropriately wound around Togolese politics. Clearly the 2010 elections won’t be an example of “free and fair multiparty democratic electrical processes” and I have learned my share about corruption (requiring some selective editing of the Togo section in my business plan…) but will there be violence? No one knows, no one will say, but as opposition and campaign posters have started to appear in Lomé, I can sense the tacit nervousness. People are preparing themselves for February.

After much advice and conversations with my partners, we have determined that it is not prudent (yes for safety reasons, but mostly just for the success of the project…) to start things until after the election. Therefore, I think that we will return to Togo in March, to install the PV system for FECECAV’s HQ here in Kpalimé, as well as spend time doing outreach and vetting and choosing candidates for the first Solar Loans. To do all of this, I am thinking to open a small boutique/storefront for SunPower Afrique en ville.

Sadly, I will miss this weekend’s Epervier’s game, a massive event throughout the country, particularly since they are playing Gabon, a West African neighbor. But I love that when I leave Togo, I am always sent off with a “Go quickly so that you can come back,” to which I respond “Yes, quickly quickly.”

Ѐ Mayimava, kaba kaba looo.