Development programs formulated, embraced and implemented from within villages rather than offered as aid from the outside have proven to be more effective in achieving real, sustainable growth

The reason behind this is, such changes do not come from within or from the people. Beneficiaries don’t have ownership over the program, thus, as soon as the program is completed, it is rarely sustained. Our approach is to empower communities and giving them ownership over the program. This makes the program sustainable.

Our objective is to collaboratively create impactful programs in communities that effectively overcome the most addressable obstacles to achieving real, long term, sustainable growth. Of tantamount importance, our attitudinal soft skills objective is to follow a process that serves to collectively empower and uplift the dignity of community members in a manner that ignites and elevates an optimistic outlook.

The reason behind this is that, we have observed several excellent interventions or social development programs in the past that were implemented by various social organizations and funding agencies that were not sustainable. Most of the programs were initially well conceived and run-well but as implementing agencies and organizations concluded the program and withdrew, programs deteriorated and began decreasing in effectiveness.

Following are some of the reasons we’ve identified why some programs were not sustainable: (Consider changing order of below.

a.) most of the people who propose and implement the program came from outside the community who do not fully understand the underlying issues of the problem;
b.) beneficiaries not involved in the initial inception will inherently lack a sense of ownership. Failing to create consensus on the initial objectives, priorities, rational and implementation details is inherently self-limiting and short-sighted, and
c.) beneficiary involvement at the outset ensures local limitations are factored in guaranteeing sustainability.

From inception, our programs deliberately include all stakeholders; the government (both local and international), private organization and private citizen, local and international NGO (Wadah Foundation and Give2Asia), and the beneficiaries.

Since the Solar Electrification program was chosen by the beneficiaries themselves this insured they had full ownership of the program. Clear and careful socialization of the program was conducted to guarantee that the people/beneficiaries embraced and refined how the program would be implemented. They carefully delineated what their roles were and clarified the roles of other stakeholders. We made certain that the people in the community fully understood the short and long term benefits as well as required expectations.

The program covers nine (9) Sustainable Development Goals particularly: SDG #1 No Poverty, #2 Zero Hunger, #3 Good Health and Well-Being, #4 Quality Education, #5 Gender Equality, #6 Clean Water and Sanitation, #7 Affordable and Clean Energy, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, and #17 Partnerships for the Goal.

We came to the shared realization that no matter how well intended a program may be, if it fails to fully engage and be fully embraced by its beneficiaries, the program is destined to fail. However, when it is the people themselves who are empowered and when their self-confidence is collectively elevated in a manner that fosters the belief and practice that they have the capability to change their lives, real change and sustainable momentum are created.

The program involved multiple stakeholders. It is a collaboration of a non-government organization (Wadah – Local NGO and Give2Asia International NGO) as the implementing agency and donor agency, respectively; private organization (Barefoot College, the training institution); government (Government of India and Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation, as funding agencies); local government unit, and people in the community as direct beneficiaries.

Local private individuals who have neither direct or indirect agenda over the program also contributed their wealth and funds for the purchase of solar equipment provided to the beneficiaries. Due to its high impact result, the program is currently being replicated.

In this age of digital technology where everything is almost within reach, these people in the villages in Eastern Indonesia still live in darkness. They only depend on moonlight and kerosene lamps to provide them some glimmer of light at night. For them, life seems to be on a halt once the sun sets and again bring them back to life when the sun rises. Having a bright light at night to light their paths, seems to be just a dream.

This was the need that the people have identified and believed would change their lives. But providing them light wasn’t our main goal, it was to empower them and give them dignity as human beings. Thus, capacity building is necessary.

After the need has been identified, Wadah Foundation searched and approached potential partners on who could help provide the capacity building program to them. We found Barefoot College, and that was the answer to our question. They have this Solar Electrification training program for illiterate and semi-illiterate women. The program was sponsored by the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation under the auspices of the Government of India.

Barefoot College and Wadah Foundation looked for sponsors who will finance the purchase and shipment of the solar panels to Indonesia. Barefoot College found Bank of America in Singapore, Wadah Foundation proposed to Give2 Asia and some private individuals who sponsored the purchase of the equipment and their shipment to Indonesia.

During the program implementation phase, Wadah Foundation and Barefoot College jointly selected participants, socialized the program to the target communities, arranged and processed travel documents, provided pre-departure briefing, and training.

From the identification to the selection of participants leading to the selection, Wadah has intensively involved the community. During the process, it was not just the participants who were involved but the whole community as well. Everyone in the community was made to understand the importance of the program and how it will impact their lives and the roles each one has to play in the process.

While the participants were in India undergoing the training, the people in the community took part in the construction of the workshop. They also discussed and decided among themselves how much they have to save and how they will save for the battery replacement. These were done with the supervision from Wadah coordinator.

Upon the return of the solar grandmamas from their six-months training, they started sharing their experiences and socialized the program to other women in their respective communities while waiting for the arrival of the equipment. As soon as the equipment arrived, they immediately assembled the solar panels and installed them in the houses of each of the community member. The enthusiastic members of the community showed their support and eagerness to have the solar panels installed in their respective homes. They have also started paying and collecting monthly dues in order to save enough funds for battery replacements which will expire in 5 years.

SDG #1.4 (1.4.1); #2.1 (2.1.1) and 2.3 (2.3.2); and #8.3 (8.3.1)
From the economic perspective, the program has shown observable impacts on the lives of the beneficiaries. Before, a family has to spend Rp 300,000/month for kerosene for their lamps, now they are able to use said amount for their other needs and is able to contribute and save Rp. 30,000/month for battery replacements.

Mothers and some other women in the community have also increased their production of woven cloths. In the past, they were only able to complete one piece of hand-woven cloth per month which sells at Rp 500,000/pc. Now, they can produce 2 or 3 cloths/month doubling or tripling their earnings. Now with available electricity, they can now cook and sell their products augmenting their income to address the dietary, educational and health needs of their families. Fishermen in Wuring Lembah only used to earn between Rp 600,000 (USD 48) to Rp 1,200,000 (USD 96)/day, now it’s increased to an average of Rp 1,200,000 (USD 96) to Rp 2,000,000 (USD USD 150)/day.

SDG #3.1 (3.1.1.) Local health clinics have also showed a decrease in mother and child mortality rate. Before, when everything was in darkness and accessibility to the clinic was quite a challenge, mothers were bound to get delayed maternity services to deliver their babies. Such a situation increased mortality risks for both the mother and child. Now, at night, when expectant mothers begin to feel it is time to have their babies, they are more prepared to come to the clinic to deliver their babies.

SDG #4.1 (4.1.1), 4.2 (4.2.1) and 4.3 (4.3.1) With the solar electricity installed, the daily routine of the community has evolved over time. School children and youth now have the time to work on their homework and help in household chores. Their performance in their schools have also greatly improved. A few students have even climbed up in their class rankings.

DG #5.1 (5.1.1) and #7.1 (7.1.1)S The program provided training opportunities to older women and eventually changed the lives of eight solar grandmamas. The sentiment in their communities was that they were “nobody” but after joining the training they became “somebody.” They have proven that despite being women and uneducated they are able to make the difference in their communities.

These eight solar grandmamas are clear examples of how women can promote the SDG to provide affordable and clean energy, as well as achieve gender equality through education and leadership opportunities.

SDG #6.1 (6.1.1 a,b,c) With solar electricity, they also now have access to clean water. A deep well is now being run using solar power.

SDG# 17.17 (Multi-stakeholder Partnerships) As stated earlier, the program was implemented through multi-stakeholders and multi-sectoral collaboration.

Local government authorities from other villages and districts have sought the help of the
solar grandmamas to train women and community members in their own localities.

Wadah and Barefoot College continue to monitor and assess the progress of the program and look
for ways to improve it.

We believe the successful implementation of the program can be attributed to the way in which it was conceptualized, socialized, coordinated, implemented, and its timeliness. The fact that the need was identified by the people in the community themselves meant they wanted such change. Their wanting to improve their lives and the future of their children spell the difference between offering a solution that came from an outsider as opposed to a solution that the people themselves believed in.

When the program was still in the planning stage, and even while participant trainees were still being identified, the community members showed great enthusiasm and support for the program. Unlike other training programs where most participants should be degree holders or have basic knowledge of the material, our program was the opposite. The basic criteria used in choosing candidates as participants/trainees were: should be illiterate or semi-illiterate, and grandmothers. Such criteria alone showed the inclusive nature of the program and its promise to provide dignity and self-worth to participants.

The sustainability of a development program, or any program for that matter, usually depends on how strong the foundation is. A strong foundation is achieved through proper socialization, implementation, and how it is understood and perceived by everyone involved, most especially the beneficiaries. If the beneficiaries believe and understand the importance of what the program brings into their lives, they will embrace it, and stand by it. When they feel they own the program, they will work hard until they achieve its benefits.

One of the strengths of our program is that we ensure that the community/beneficiaries are involved in all phases of the program. This way they feel that they are truly part of the project. The project is not like a fish that will feed them for a day, but a fishing rod that will allow them to fish everyday of their lives. The program involved capacity building; making them independent in the end. Trainees who have completed the training were tasked to train other cadres to ensure continuity and sustainability.

In a project-based approach, others would have simply purchased the solar panels and had them installed in the community, thinking that they had solved the problem. But without capacity building, which is a means to empower the community, the problem will resurface in the event the solar panel breaks down or runs out of batteries.

With the active participation of the community in assessing future needs, they determined how they should prepare themselves once their units run of batteries. This guarantees that the system will continue to function long-term. Collective self-determination leads to sustainability and independence.

As proof, the solar grandmamas have used their education, initiative and understanding to innovate and modify the lamps and batteries to last longer and burn brighter! It is remarkable to consider that before their training, these women held very little status in their communities due to their age and profound lack of education. They have also trained others and enjoy the economic advantages that come with having a skill that is in demand. In its entirety this program has given these women the confidence and the respect that they had not previously received. They have become community leaders and now speak up and take the lead in local affairs; this would have been unimaginable prior to their training. We can say that the program has given a new face to gender equality.

The proven success of this program has created a demand by other villages facing the same issues. To that end, it has been replicated with two additional cohorts of solar grandmamas going to training. In September 2018, another five women travelled to the Barefoot College in India for the six-month Solar Electrification training; an additional 5 women are currently preparing to join the same program in March 2019. The same procedure and scheme have been followed, thus, similar results are anticipated.

In Indonesia, people living in marginalized areas are accustomed to being looked at as objects in various development projects. Every time they hear a social organization comes to their village, they anticipate that someone is there to give them support, i.e. money – a dole out. As a result, most of them have lost their self-worth and dignity. They have been treated as people who could not think. They feel that they are objects and are just ready to take in or swallow everything is fed to them. This has been the situation and the mindset of the people over the last few decades which is very much against our mission and vision.

What we envisage is for people to be empowered and to have the dignity to which they are entitled. Thus, in every program that we do, we always make sure that it will empower people and end the cycle of dependency. The program has to be owned by the people to make it sustainable.

It is difficult to imagine how the solar training program has changed lives of the solar grandmamas who were trained in India. But what is even more difficult to comprehend is how the program was able to change the mindset of the people. Prior to Wadah’s involvement in the community, there had been a few other social organizations and foundations who had tried working with them, but their relationships did not last. Some organizations concluded that the people were difficult to deal with. Others said that they were temperamental and stubborn. Thus, Wadah had a very cautious approach when dealing with them. Wadah maintained its principle which is, “we only help people who want to help themselves.” The community realized that they need organizations like ours and they would have to play an active role when working together. We treated them as family members making our relationship harmonious.

People living these communities had extremely limited educational opportunities. They were making a very basic life for themselves and their families. The opportunities that this program has provided are unprecedented and thus a far cry from what they had previously experienced. Importantly, they have renewed and high hopes for their future and that of their children.

As such, the progress and improvement that the community members and their villages achieve is a step forward and towards sustainable development. When viewed from a global perspective, the program may seem too minute to be of importance, but we believe that if such a strategy is replicated and adopted, there is a greater chance for changes to become more meaningful.

Development organizations should focus more on adopting a participative approach in providing assistance as it will definitely create greater impact and success in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Attachments:
A - Schematic Diagram of the Program
B – http://update.ahloo.com/2016/09/15/mama-mama-pendekar-terang
An article written and posted online together with a video about the program.

C – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lOAbuLMTCU&feature=youtu.be&t=34
Part One -Youtube links aired in a local Indonesian television channel about the program.

D – Part two of the above youtube links. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYqzGjBmi10

E – http://jateng.tribunnews.com/2018/06/21/cerita-pendekar-terang-yang-belajar-
Online news published at tribunews

F – https://www.beritasatu.com/nasional/289556-bengkel-listrik-tenaga-surya-di-p
Online news published at Beritasatu (television station)

G - http://kupang.tribunnews.com/2015/07/11/bengkel-listrik-tenaga-surya
Online news from Tribunnews

H - https://nasional.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/umum/15/07/08/nr5uc5-bengke
Online news by Republika

I – http://www.lintasntt.com/dubes-india-resmikan-listrik-tenaga-surya-di-tts/
Online news by LintasNTT

J - Health Center Report – Mar 2015

K - Health Center Report Jan 2016

Further information about the program can also be found/read from articles written and published at the Wadah Chronicles and Wadah Newsletter which are accessible online through Wadah Foundation’s official website www.wadahfoundation.or.id.
These articles are as follows:
a. Wadah Chronicles, Dec 2018, Vol. 9 – At the Forefront of the Future (The would-be) Solar Engineers” p. 4 to 6
b. Wadah Chronicles, Dec 2016, Vol. 3 - Transforming Darkness into Light: How Wadah’s Partnership Empowered the resilient People of Loa to Shine – Page 23 to 27
c. Wadah Chronicles, Aug 2016, Vol 2. – Celebrate Life, the Wadah Way p. 16
d. Wadah Newsletter, Dec 2015, Vol 8 No. 3, Lights in the Night Sky: Inauguration of the Solar Program Workshops Pages 4 to 9
e. Wadah Newsletter, Dec 2015, Vol 8 No. 3, Reaching for the Sun: A story of Government – Civil Society Engagement Pages 10 and 11
f. Wadah Newsletter, Aug 2014, Vol 7 No. 2, Memoirs of our Six-Month Training in India pages 10 to 12
g. Wadah Newsletter, Aug 2014, Vol 7 No. 2, Solar Grandmamas Presented to the Indonesian Press Page 18 and 19
h. Wadah Newsletter, July 2013, Barefoot College Comes to Indonesia Page 9 to 15