4700+ households to receive solar in Western and Oro Provinces

Australian NGO KTF (Kokoda Track Foundation) is about to embark on an ambitious new project that will install 4,712 solar units to households in remote villages in Western and Oro Provinces over the next two years. 

With support from the PNG-Australia Partnership, ‘Light for Learning’ will work through the greater Balimo region in Middle Fly, and the Kokoda, Northern Beaches and Tufi regions of Oro, installing solar and lighting systems to every household, school, aid post and community building in 53 villages. Villages all have links to KTF’s existing education projects, chosen to assist students with their learning.

“We know that electrification rates are extremely low in the remote communities we work with in Oro and Western, with little opportunity to access the electricity grid in the near future. Students at our FODE colleges in Balimo and Kou Kou, and the children attending the elementary schools we support, have little chance to study when the sun goes down at night”, explains KTF CEO, Dr Genevieve Nelson. “Light for learning provides students, their families and communities with a reliable source of clean lighting and power, enabling study and other activities after dark, improving lives, livelihoods and futures.”

Groups of ‘Solar Champions’ will also be established in each village to support system installation. Key women and men from the community will be trained in solar installation and maintenance and business operation, with the support of project partner Solar Solutions PNG. This will enable Solar Champions to set up small businesses that help the community maintain and upgrade their systems. Financial literacy training will support communities in household budgeting to help realise cost savings on kerosene and ensure system batteries can be replaced as necessary (three- to five-year life cycle).

Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Jon Philp states “Australia is pleased to support the Kokoda Track Foundation through our Pawarim Komuniti program. We are committed to increasing access to energy in rural and remote communities to support livelihoods, create economic opportunities, and enhance safety and wellbeing.”

“We are delighted to be able to implement a project of this scale, and it has been made possible by the support of the PNG-Australia Partnership through the Pawarim Komuniti Off-grid Electrification Program and the Puma Energy Foundation,” Dr Nelson said.

“Recent data from our earlier project in Oro province shows that receiving a solar unit has indeed been life-changing.  Children have increased the amount of time spent on homework after dark with up to an incredible 246 percent increase from 24 to 84 minutes a day. Family income has reportedly been boosted due to savings on expensive, toxic kerosene, the opportunity to work on business activities after dark and improved communications from being able to charge mobile phones with the solar units. Safety and security after dark has also improved in villages thanks to light, particularly for women and girls.”

Vincent Faber, Executive Director of the Puma Energy Foundation, says: “Our partnership with Kokoda Track Foundation helps us strengthen our core purpose of ‘energising communities’ and empowering the most fragile through innovative and sustainable solutions. We are confident that the ‘Light for Learning’ program will provide new, life-changing opportunities for marginalised communities and contribute to advance access to education, healthcare and improved livelihoods.”

Community benefits will be realised as the systems are installed between now and December 2022.