SunPower Afrique's pilot project is now slated for June 2010. In the wake of the global recession, massive budget cuts in every institution, government agency and private sector economy in the world, all non-profits have been hit exceptionally hard. SunPower Afrique's start-up status has made this even more challenging. But we are DOING THIS!
Presently and somewhat miraculously, mostly a result of aggressive and die-hard tenacity, we have raised over $25,000, which covers the training, outreach and all other costs besides the actual equipment - and we have excellent leads with some global solar companies and donors to top-off our budget in time. Our partners in Togo are READY (getting impatient actually!) and the word about SunPower Afrique continues to spread like wildfire in Kpalimé and beyond.
I want to take another opportunity to offer my sincere and indescribeable appreciation to every individual, every family, every business, every partner who has supported SunPower Afrique thus far. We have raised over $25,ooo with an average donation size of $50-100. It is truly amazing.
Jon and our training partner, who will be traveling with us to Togo in June, Ron Celentano, have designed an innovative PV system that reduces FECECAV's load significantly, not only encouraging responsible energy consumption, but also requiring a smaller system that will be grid-tied and use the solar PV as backup. More details about system design are forthcoming, including a full list of components and drawings, so that all of our donors can see exactly how their contributions are being spent. We are also developing the final curriculum for the classroom portion of our training (thank you Ron!) and I am trying to figure out how I will manage to get it all straight and translated into Français before June...
Importantly, a momentous goal has been achieved! After revising and re-revising and re-revising and re-revising (and re-revising and re-revising) SunPower Afrique's business plan, with input from dozens of retired executives, MBA students and others, all with their (always well intentioned!) opinions on how the plan should be written, and in some cases, how the mission of my project should be transformed...I have a real, legitimate, magnificent business plan. I was lucky enough to work with my, now close partner, Ayite Gaba (I wrote a previous blog about this incredible soul earlier in the month - http://kirawithoutborders.blogspot.com/2010/02/introducing-monsieur-ayite-gaba.html).
Ayite and I are now, together, soliciting development agencies and financial institutions with microlending or social investment programs for this improved, long-term and sustainable business model.
Please have a look at the new BPlan which has been uploaded to the homepage of the SunPower Afrique website: http://www.sunpowerafrique.org/PDF/Home/SunPower%20Afrique%20Bplan_FINAL_March2010.pdf
If you know anyone or have any contacts at the types of donors we are currently soliciting, please do not hesitate to send me an email at kira.costanza@sunpowerafrique.org!
In addition, SunPower Afrique has been chosen to participate in a Social Entrepreneurship course at Penn State Great Valley, where grad students will be working with Jon and I to develop effective non-profit marketing strategies and the beginnings of a real SunPower Builders - SunPower Afrique hybrid business model.
Akpe pour la patience de TOUS mes partènaires, a deux côtes de la mer, et akpe ka ka ka ka pour la confiance que vous avez mis sur les époules de SunPower Afrique. We will not let you know. Le projet arrive a trés bientot.
Miadogo looooo!
How's that for Franglewe? :)
Kira Akou Costanza
Directrice Executive
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
2010 Togo Election Results Coming In...
The main opposition party in Togo has claimed widespread irregularities in the country's presidential election. However...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8553955.stm
Witholding judgement or opinion until final results, which must now be approved by Togo's electoral commission ("independant" for the first time in the country's history), are released, and, more importantly, we see how the opposition reacts. And how organized and mobilize they are on a grassroots level...most people in the capital remain indoors and nervous, but my friends in Kpalime have been surprisingly calm.
Here are some articles on the current situation. More to come.
IN-BRIEF: Vote Counting in Togo:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88329
Togo Opposition Claims 'Irregularities" in Poll
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8548787.stm
Togo Police Use Tear Gas on Opposition Protesters
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8553114.stm
Disputed Vote Spawns Fears
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88337
Tip-Toeing Towards Reconciliation (this piece conveys both the shameless optimism I feel about Togolese development, and the confusion and anger I often feel towards stagnation and corruption...)
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88317
Witholding judgement or opinion until final results, which must now be approved by Togo's electoral commission ("independant" for the first time in the country's history), are released, and, more importantly, we see how the opposition reacts. And how organized and mobilize they are on a grassroots level...most people in the capital remain indoors and nervous, but my friends in Kpalime have been surprisingly calm.
Here are some articles on the current situation. More to come.
IN-BRIEF: Vote Counting in Togo:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88329
Togo Opposition Claims 'Irregularities" in Poll
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8548787.stm
Togo Police Use Tear Gas on Opposition Protesters
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8553114.stm
Disputed Vote Spawns Fears
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88337
Tip-Toeing Towards Reconciliation (this piece conveys both the shameless optimism I feel about Togolese development, and the confusion and anger I often feel towards stagnation and corruption...)
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88317
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Paix Avant Tous
My thoughts will be with Togo and preoccupied for the next 24-48 hours...hoping for peace and nonviolence during Presidential Elections. I hope that as many of the Togolese population are able to vote, in safety, above all.
There appears to be an indescribable group of Togolese youth, mobilized and passionate, ready to contest a fraudulent election...truly ready to "die to extract from the ruling party's hand a victory for the opposition." And "take to the streets to reclaim victory, if the ruling power ever tries to steal this vote." I am simultaneously and uncomfortably proud and terrified. Please keep my friends safe.
Last minute election news:
Incumbent Faces Strong Challenge at Polls
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003031020.html
A Crucial Opportunity for the Country
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003030015.html
Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88305
UN Chief Calls for Peaceful Polls
http://www0.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33941&Cr=west+africa&Cr1=
En Francais:
(From Faure and the RPT)
http://www.republicoftogo.com/
Aujourd'hui 4 mars 2010 - Les Togolais ont rendez-vous avec leur destin
http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/201003040039.html
Fin de campagne, démonstration de forces!
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003031020.html
There appears to be an indescribable group of Togolese youth, mobilized and passionate, ready to contest a fraudulent election...truly ready to "die to extract from the ruling party's hand a victory for the opposition." And "take to the streets to reclaim victory, if the ruling power ever tries to steal this vote." I am simultaneously and uncomfortably proud and terrified. Please keep my friends safe.
Last minute election news:
Incumbent Faces Strong Challenge at Polls
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003031020.html
A Crucial Opportunity for the Country
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003030015.html
Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88305
UN Chief Calls for Peaceful Polls
http://www0.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33941&Cr=west+africa&Cr1=
En Francais:
(From Faure and the RPT)
http://www.republicoftogo.com/
Aujourd'hui 4 mars 2010 - Les Togolais ont rendez-vous avec leur destin
http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/201003040039.html
Fin de campagne, démonstration de forces!
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003031020.html
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Togolese Elections 4 March, 2010
The Togolese population is ready for change, but channels for that momentum and energy are difficult to find and organize. Elections have been postponed from February 28 to March 4, at the request of the opposition. President Faure Gnassingbe noted that the elections are being delayed "with the aim of permanently seeking consensus and maintaining a peaceful climate during the electoral process."
More on the UFC withdrawal here:
And here is his campaign site and the UFC site (en francais):
While I have my opinion on what the outcome of the election will almost certainly be, all I can do is hope, both personally and professionally, that the government, the opposition and the population can find a balance of non-violence during the campaigns and the election. May peaceful means of protest be tolerated and violence towards the status quo be restrained.
Here are a few links to Togolese election news:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201002171118.html (Togo's First Female Candidate! Although she withrew fearing fraudulent results and in protest of flawed electoral processes...joining the main opposition party, the UFC, who withdrew in mid-February)
More on the UFC withdrawal here:
Five Opposition Parties come together under the umbrella of FRAC in support of new UFC candidate Jean-Pierre Fabre:
More information on Jean-Pierre Fabre - interesting character - can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Fabre
And here is his campaign site and the UFC site (en francais):
http://www.fabre-togo.com/biographie-de-jean-pierre-fabre.php; http://www.ufctogo.com/-Historique-.html
Et bien sur, the RPT (ruling party of President Faure) site, synonymous with the official site of the Republic of Togo:
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Introducing Monsieur Ayite Gaba
An email came to me on January 8, 2010 from my Togolese friend John in California:
Ayite, please meet Kira.
Kira please meet Ayite. I believe you both are in Togo now and you should try to meet.
Let's start talking and make something happen here :)
I have struggled, since founding SunPower Afrique in 2008, with my lack of an MBA...and while I have learned as I've gone along, and no longer feel that an MBA will be my advanced degree of choice, the ability to design financial models in excel spreadsheets and properly construct business plans have proven themselves again and again critical to SunPower Afrique's success...
To compensate for my lack of business management experience I have reached out to many. From MBA students to retired executives to wall street financiers to nonprofit managers...not only could networking and market-researching be a full time job in its own right, but finding someone to help me who a) understands exactly where I am coming from b) will follow through and c) most importantly, can do all of this for free...has been quite challenging. (Not to say that I am automatically entitled to any of this, nor to render insigificant any of the monumental support I have received thus far!)
Then I "met" Ayite, who immediately understood me and my project. Our partnership is strengthened by the fact that Ayite is Togolese and quickly noted how Togolese-at-heart this Yovo actually is...(I have recently undergone some self-recognition, vindicated by a "What Color is your Personality" test at Rotary a few weeks ago, realizing how much I, a Blue, thrive on peoples' recognition of my passion and "unique contributions to the world" :))
In one of our first email conversations, Ayite wrote, "It has been 12 years since I left Togo and I have ever since been searching for an opportunity to do a meaningful work there. I think SPA is a rare opportunity to put my knowledge of technology and business to use in Togo ."
A Togolese expat, Ayite has worked for over 5 five years in various engineering and product management roles in the high-tech industry both in the United States and in Germany before deciding to return to Africa to put his knowledge to use there. He has just accepted a Business Development Associate role with Google in Senegal, where he wants to help bring technology to the masses in Africa. Ayite has an MBA from INSEAD in Singapore and France and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University in California. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have him working with me.
Ayite dove right in. asking comprehensive and pointed questions about my product, my impact, my goals...my value proposition...sustainability and scaleability...He is enthusiastic, encouraging and practical, telling me that yes, the potential for this project is paramount and we are going to get the funding we need, but first we've got to do something about this cash flow situation Kira...
A little over a month later, we are days away from a thorough, sensibile, self-sustaining financial model and business plan for SunPower Afrique, something I have been trying to put together for far too long...Thanks to Ayite's and my similiar philsophies, understandings of international development and committment to responsible business, I have been able to trust and delegate.
Even since I started SunPower Afrique at the beginning of 2008, the concept of expanding the use renewable energy in the developing world has grown dramatically. And there are organizations and people, such as SELCO, SELF and the late and beloved Walt Ratterman, that have been working in this framework for years. There are so many models, from charity to non-profit to public-private partnerships to for-profit and everything in between - which is where SunPower Afrique falls, somewhere in between. In the burgeoning world of social-entrepreneurship and social investment (http://www.ashoka.org/social_entrepreneur; http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/whatis/) that is exhilarating, competitive, exciting, terrifying and inspiring...And Ayite is helping me to find my place there, by putting all of my foundations and partially constructed building blocks in place, filling in the holes and lining them up for success.
Since the beginning I have spoken about my Ashoka-Skoll-Schwab aspirations, however amorphous and remote...I continue to hold these ambitions close, but now I can see them more tangibly...the huge piles of research on initiatives and institutions that support social entrepreneurs are ready to be picked through again. I am ready to approach and re-approach the big guns with creative and strategic ways to invest money in social change. With a strong written portfolio to back up my dogmatic ideals, SunPower Afrique might just be unstoppable :)
Akpe ka ka Ayite. Akpe loooo.
"For me sustainability and acting responsibly are unequivocally inseparable. I know most capitalists will disagree with me on this but that is alright..." - Ayite Gaba, Feb. 2010
Ayite, please meet Kira.
Kira please meet Ayite. I believe you both are in Togo now and you should try to meet.
Let's start talking and make something happen here :)
I have struggled, since founding SunPower Afrique in 2008, with my lack of an MBA...and while I have learned as I've gone along, and no longer feel that an MBA will be my advanced degree of choice, the ability to design financial models in excel spreadsheets and properly construct business plans have proven themselves again and again critical to SunPower Afrique's success...
To compensate for my lack of business management experience I have reached out to many. From MBA students to retired executives to wall street financiers to nonprofit managers...not only could networking and market-researching be a full time job in its own right, but finding someone to help me who a) understands exactly where I am coming from b) will follow through and c) most importantly, can do all of this for free...has been quite challenging. (Not to say that I am automatically entitled to any of this, nor to render insigificant any of the monumental support I have received thus far!)
Then I "met" Ayite, who immediately understood me and my project. Our partnership is strengthened by the fact that Ayite is Togolese and quickly noted how Togolese-at-heart this Yovo actually is...(I have recently undergone some self-recognition, vindicated by a "What Color is your Personality" test at Rotary a few weeks ago, realizing how much I, a Blue, thrive on peoples' recognition of my passion and "unique contributions to the world" :))
In one of our first email conversations, Ayite wrote, "It has been 12 years since I left Togo and I have ever since been searching for an opportunity to do a meaningful work there. I think SPA is a rare opportunity to put my knowledge of technology and business to use in Togo ."
A Togolese expat, Ayite has worked for over 5 five years in various engineering and product management roles in the high-tech industry both in the United States and in Germany before deciding to return to Africa to put his knowledge to use there. He has just accepted a Business Development Associate role with Google in Senegal, where he wants to help bring technology to the masses in Africa. Ayite has an MBA from INSEAD in Singapore and France and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University in California. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have him working with me.
Ayite dove right in. asking comprehensive and pointed questions about my product, my impact, my goals...my value proposition...sustainability and scaleability...He is enthusiastic, encouraging and practical, telling me that yes, the potential for this project is paramount and we are going to get the funding we need, but first we've got to do something about this cash flow situation Kira...
A little over a month later, we are days away from a thorough, sensibile, self-sustaining financial model and business plan for SunPower Afrique, something I have been trying to put together for far too long...Thanks to Ayite's and my similiar philsophies, understandings of international development and committment to responsible business, I have been able to trust and delegate.
Even since I started SunPower Afrique at the beginning of 2008, the concept of expanding the use renewable energy in the developing world has grown dramatically. And there are organizations and people, such as SELCO, SELF and the late and beloved Walt Ratterman, that have been working in this framework for years. There are so many models, from charity to non-profit to public-private partnerships to for-profit and everything in between - which is where SunPower Afrique falls, somewhere in between. In the burgeoning world of social-entrepreneurship and social investment (http://www.ashoka.org/social_entrepreneur; http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/whatis/) that is exhilarating, competitive, exciting, terrifying and inspiring...And Ayite is helping me to find my place there, by putting all of my foundations and partially constructed building blocks in place, filling in the holes and lining them up for success.
Since the beginning I have spoken about my Ashoka-Skoll-Schwab aspirations, however amorphous and remote...I continue to hold these ambitions close, but now I can see them more tangibly...the huge piles of research on initiatives and institutions that support social entrepreneurs are ready to be picked through again. I am ready to approach and re-approach the big guns with creative and strategic ways to invest money in social change. With a strong written portfolio to back up my dogmatic ideals, SunPower Afrique might just be unstoppable :)
Akpe ka ka Ayite. Akpe loooo.
"For me sustainability and acting responsibly are unequivocally inseparable. I know most capitalists will disagree with me on this but that is alright..." - Ayite Gaba, Feb. 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Aklala Batik! New Website and NYC Debut!
Soon to be solar loan client and dear friend in Togo, Chantal Donvide, founder of Aklala Batik. has a new website!
Put together by the fabulous and talented Megan Rhodes, former Peace Corps volunteer in Togo who helped Chantal develop this business into the success it is becoming today. You can follow the blog that Megan keeps for Aklala as well: http://www.aklala.blogspot.com/
We love you Chantal and can't wait to bring solar energy to your business to increase your already stunning capacity :)
These are the stories and faces of SunPower Afrique in Togo.
Friday, January 15, 2010
SunPower Afrique Stands With Haiti
Nos prières et penseés sont avec l'Haiti.
We urge you to support Partners in Health (PIH), who have been working on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years. They urgently need your support to help those affected by the earthquake.
Partners in Health have also partnered in recent years with the Solar Electric Light Fund, who is currently diverting 13 kW of solar panels to a PIH facility to provide electricity for critical lighting and emergency medical treatment.
May our hearts and prayers remain with Haiti.
We urge you to support Partners in Health (PIH), who have been working on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years. They urgently need your support to help those affected by the earthquake.
Partners in Health have also partnered in recent years with the Solar Electric Light Fund, who is currently diverting 13 kW of solar panels to a PIH facility to provide electricity for critical lighting and emergency medical treatment.
May our hearts and prayers remain with Haiti.
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