Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) is a nonprofit (Washington, DC) that brings solar power and modern communications to rural villages in the developing world… for improving health, education and economic well-being. Founded in 1990 by Neville Williams, a consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy during the Carter administration, SELF has worked in China, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Solomon Islands, Navajo Nation, Nigeria and Bhutan.

“Two billion people attempting to emerge from centuries of darkness into an electrically lighted future will be one of the critical issues of the 21st century … Seventy percent of people in the developing world still have no access to electricity in their homes, health clinics, or schools … Health clinics have no means to power refrigerators for vaccine and other drug preservation … without computers, these kids are trapped in the digital divide of information haves and have-nots.”

Developing nations are predicted to produce the largest increases in greenhouse gas emissions in the near future. But instead of waiting for electric grids and landlines, which may never come, rural villagers can use solar power and wireless communications to improve the quality of their lives. Not only is the solar power ecologically sensitive, it also helps reduce health and fire related problems from candles, fires, smoky kerosene lanterns which are commonly used as light in millions of homes. SELF’s solar projects also include water pumps and water purification systems, public street lights, and allows commercial businesses to upgrade their equipment and become more cost efficient (manual sewing machines upgraded to electric sewing machines, irrigation pumps for farmers, etc.).

In SELF projects, families typically purchase solar home systems over 3 to 4 years, paying only slightly more than they would pay on kerosene, candles and dry-cell batteries. The interest is used to finance additional units for other families. SELF also trains villagers to operate the program.

SELF acts as a catalyst between rural solar electric associations, local photovoltaic equipment suppliers, farmers cooperatives, donor agencies, non-governmental organizations, and governments, and also helps start up rural solar enterprises. “Solar seed” projects are created to accelerate market acceptance of solar-generated electricity in developing countries.

Some examples of SELF projects:

South Africa - A solar powered computer lab, with 20 computers and wireless internet access, was set up in a high school.

Brazil - A fully sustainable community solar project was launched in 1998 to prove a commercially sustainable way of delivering solar electricity to the estimated 10 million families in Brazil identified as needing power.

India - SELF teamed with India’s 5th largest bank to finance solar lighting for consumers and received the World Bank’s first ever loan for solar photovoltaics.

Uganda - Completed a 100-house pilot project in association with Habitat for Humanity that was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Information on SELF’s activities and donation opportunities are available on their website.