2007 Economic Development Award Laureate
Anil Chitrakar, Babu Raja Shrestha, and Prachet Kumar Shrestha, Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness
| Laureate Country: Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Project Countries: Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Website: http://www.ecca.org.np |
| Video: 2007Videos/environmental_camps.mov |
Anil Chitrakar, Babu Raja Shrestha, and Prachet Kumar Shrestha channel solar power technology into affordable light and a new industry.
People in Nepal light their homes with kerosene lamps called Tukis. Kerosene Tukis are costly and emit toxic fumes, and importing kerosene is a strain on the national economy.
These Laureates turned one of Nepal’s own resources, 300 annual days of sun, into a safer light source and an economic opportunity. They developed a solar-powered Tuki and now offer microfinancing and training for people to make, sell, and service the lamps. The healthier light enables people to work and study into the evening, eases a burden on the national economy, and creates a local Tuki industry.
