This blog will not read like an episode of Narcos, but, for the solar nerds, the travel lovers, and our friends and family, we have a good story we would like to share with you. The research for this project began last January when I arrived in Anupshahr, a little town on the banks of the Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The idea I had at that time was blurry and distant. I wanted to work with renewable energy in India but I had no idea how. Piece by piece the picture has become clearer and in a matter of months I hope to be staring at the physical manifestation of this idea.
The complete set of events that has led to the present is long and surely a story for a different day. For now, I will just touch on a few key moments that got us here. My mother, who teaches in Shanghai, China, had introduced me to her colleague, Lisa Brosseau, who in turn told me about an amazing NGO in India. Eight months later, I arrived in Anupshahr to volunteer with Pardada Pardadi Educational Society (PPES). I had been told that they had an active solar program and I was excited to get some experience and help in any way I could. Unfortunately, while there are two active solar lantern sites, these projects were already well established, and there was no other solar program. I was very saddened to learn this and I thought I would have to change my goals for my time in India. However, after two weeks I met the founder, Virendra (Sam) Singh, and I was delighted to find that he was indeed interested in expanding the PPES solar program. He told me he had been waiting for someone to come and show passion for solar energy. I was his guy. Now, instead of learning about solar from experts, I was going to convert myself into the expert and create a new project. I spoke with PPES’s CEO, Renuka Gupta, who told me I could do what I wanted, within reason, as long as I could raise my own funds. In the most male dominated society I have ever seen, Renuka is a shinning example of how well women can lead and create success. Having her and Sam’s approval and support has made all of this possible.
Last March I started conducting a survey in a few of the villages that surround Anupshahr. I wanted to know how much energy people consumed and how much money they spent on it. Do they use kerosene or electricity? Do they have children attending school? These questions aroused the curiosity of the villagers and I told them about my plan to build a solar lantern project. I was getting ahead of myself. Santram, the head of the Community Development Division at PPES and an integral member of this project, cautioned me that un-kept promises can be very destructive when doing development work. The hardest part of development work is changing people’s practices and mentalities, which necessitates creating trust. Therefore, he suggested that I be sure I could do this project before I mentioned it to more villagers. I needed money.
I began working on a GoFundMe campaign to raise the money I needed for the project. I was extremely hesitant to ask friends and family for money. Why should they give me money for something I want to do? What if it fails? What if I only raise half the money I need? In the end, these hang-ups were less important than the possibility of success. In a stroke of incredible luck, an Italian volunteer and professional photographer, Linda, came to PPES right before I published the campaign. She took the photos that captured the value of electricity in a way that words could never do. I had a good campaign but I was still very uncertain whether or not it would succeed. As the donations started pouring in, I was surprised to find how many people were donating that I hadn’t spoken to in years. In fact, the two largest donations to date are from people I’ve never even met. Even GoFundMe, the crowd funding company I used, donated 1,000 dollars! To date, Adam and I have raised almost 7,000 dollars. We are writing this blog for all of you. It is our way of saying thank you and letting you know exactly how we are spending the money you gave us.
The other pivotal moment that I’ll mention was a Skype call from my childhood best friend and brother from another mother, Adam Freed. Adam had seen the GoFundMe page and told me he wanted to come help. Not just any friend offers to leave everything for the comforts of rural India. Then again, Adam is not just any friend. He quit his job, moved out of his apartment, sold most of his belongings, and bought a ticket for Bangalore. If it is true that the future is a stream of infinite possibilities, then I would always chose this reality.
Next Episode: Bangalore…
-Camden
The Village Solar Project 