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28yr Old Kamla Devy
d.light was created, funded, and is fueled by stories. I particularly like the story of Kamla Devy and her husband Udayveer. I was shocked, amazed, and really excited when Kamla's husband, Udayveer, called up 2 friday's ago with an announcement...
We first met 28yr old Kamla Devy 8 months ago. We stayed at her house, ate with her family, and learned the rhythms of her life.
4:30am - Kamla is up at the crack of dawn to sweep and fodder the families buffalos by moonlight
5:00am - Kamla begins milking the buffalos one by one in the darkness of the shed
5:30am - Kamla makes butter and paneer for the family with 1 of the 6 liters of milk. She will sell the other 5 litres to supplement the families farming income
6:00am - Kamla's husband Udayveer returns from his morning prayers, and the family drinks chai together made from fresh buffalos milk
6:30am-6:30pm - the family works in the fields, mostly tending to the wheat crop
7:00pm - Kamla makes chapatis for the family, working by the dying light of the earthen fire
7:30pm- The family eats together
8:00pm - Kamla's 2 eldest sons begin studying by the light of a kerosene lantern.
Their lives have significantly changed now. Kamla was one of the earliest prototypers of the first rev of the Nova Solar Light. She absolutlely loved it, and when the newer manufactured versions started being sold in India, her husband Udayveer got one. And then 13 neighbors bought them. And then we started getting calls. Almost daily. Udayveer needed more lights. Other villages wanted them. The most amazing thing happened 2 friday's ago, when Udayveer called up to say that he needed another 200 lights urgently, and that he was willing to sell 3 of his buffalo to get the working capital to make it happen. He wanted to become an impromptu d.light distributor!
This is exactly what we were hoping for. More Udayveers. More Kamla's. Our lights are finally getting deeper and deeper into the villages and are making a big impact on the lives of thousands of people. I'll keep you updated as this story progresses.
Kamla using one of d.light's early Nova protoypes
4:30am - Kamla is up at the crack of dawn to sweep and fodder the families buffalos by moonlight
5:00am - Kamla begins milking the buffalos one by one in the darkness of the shed
5:30am - Kamla makes butter and paneer for the family with 1 of the 6 liters of milk. She will sell the other 5 litres to supplement the families farming income
6:00am - Kamla's husband Udayveer returns from his morning prayers, and the family drinks chai together made from fresh buffalos milk
6:30am-6:30pm - the family works in the fields, mostly tending to the wheat crop
7:00pm - Kamla makes chapatis for the family, working by the dying light of the earthen fire
7:30pm- The family eats together
8:00pm - Kamla's 2 eldest sons begin studying by the light of a kerosene lantern.
Their lives have significantly changed now. Kamla was one of the earliest prototypers of the first rev of the Nova Solar Light. She absolutlely loved it, and when the newer manufactured versions started being sold in India, her husband Udayveer got one. And then 13 neighbors bought them. And then we started getting calls. Almost daily. Udayveer needed more lights. Other villages wanted them. The most amazing thing happened 2 friday's ago, when Udayveer called up to say that he needed another 200 lights urgently, and that he was willing to sell 3 of his buffalo to get the working capital to make it happen. He wanted to become an impromptu d.light distributor!
This is exactly what we were hoping for. More Udayveers. More Kamla's. Our lights are finally getting deeper and deeper into the villages and are making a big impact on the lives of thousands of people. I'll keep you updated as this story progresses.
Kamla using one of d.light's early Nova protoypes
interesting model
hi Kevinkris -- i'm not opposed to the idea, but it sounds pretty complicated to me. at $1/wk it doesn't take long to pay back a families own solar LED system. then they are totally independent from the grid, from the battery charger, from any irregularities, and they have full control over their system, its maintenance, and its wear and tear. i'd like to trial everything - so if you have a program up and running perhaps we can participate? one of my personal interests is to democratize light.. so that people aren't dependent on others for what i feel isa basic human need after food, water, clothing, and shelter.
Solar LED is a good alternative..
hi Sam, Yeah, i forgot about solar LED all together. I donated a solar LED from dlight donation program. Can you tell me how much it will be to buy it retail?
I see one company donates one light if we buy one here in USA.
In USA it will be used as a emergency light and in another country we can help a family.
Thanks,
Kevinkris
I see one company donates one light if we buy one here in USA.
In USA it will be used as a emergency light and in another country we can help a family.
Thanks,
Kevinkris
what about battery life?
Sam,
What about battery life for this Solar LED lamp?
How many years it will come and what is the replacement cost?
Rgds,
kevinkris
What about battery life for this Solar LED lamp?
How many years it will come and what is the replacement cost?
Rgds,
kevinkris
LED lights as Sustainable business
Hi Sam, I like and admire d.light design as a company. I had seen your pitch at the Social Venture Competition at UCB. But i still not convinced the traditional way of distribution preferred by d.light to market and sell the LED lights.
Why don't we do it in a better way? Like a sustainable business?
We will install 1 kw solar system for 5000$ per village (We don't need to install solar system in all the villages, some of the villages have electricity, so we will rely on the grid) and each 8-LED lamp with battery will cost 25$. To make this as a sustainable business we will rent the LED lamp for 1$/ week. (1$/ week is the average amount of cost involved for buying kerosene in rural areas of the world). We will charge and replace batteries for free and offer free support. We will generate employment in the village. This is a sustainable business which can spread across.
To start with i want to introduce this concepts with a 500 watt or 1 kw system in one village. We will train 10 to 20 in the village and offer them jobs how to maintain solar system, charge batteries, repair LED lights. They will collect 1$ every week for charging batteries. If this is successful in transforming people from kerosene to LED lamps and create employment, we will replicate this process across different villages. Concepts is, we will install the solar system and give away LED lights for FREE. Users pay 1$/ week to get their batteries recharged. We will collect the funds and use to pay salaries and remaining to pay back the money we used to invest.
Let me know feedback on my idea. And let me know how we can refine this. The investment can be taken by people like "Udayveer" as a micro-finance loan. Since he has regular cash flow he can repay weekly basis to the micro-finance bank.
Rgds, Kevinkris