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WHAT IS SUNSHINE MILLENNIUM?I wish to launch a social enterprise that will help India's remote villages (off-grid ruralareas) to achieve the millennium development goals (MDGs) with a project that is power

by solar energy (specifically Solar PV and Solar Thermal technology as a support

structure).

What are the millennium development goals?

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

Why Solar Energy?

In the past decade renewable energy meant wind and Biomass generated electricity. With

the launch of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in Dec 2009 and therevamping of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) the next decade

seems to be poised to be the solar decade and the millennium a solar millennium!

Thus was born the idea for SUNSHINE MILLENNIUM.

***An urban component targeting the Environmental Studies programs (EVS)of schools and colleges; career counselling to guide students into the solar

and sustainable development field; funding for Indian PV technology

research. There is need for 1-35 lakhs trained professionals in theSustainable Development arena. A think tank that provides solar and

Developmental Data; and targeting urban unemployment/slum

development by accessing green technology is also in the works as we areafter all an urban entity.

***

My Inspirations:

1. The 12 African Millennium villages set up by Jeffry Sachs (~ 2006)

2. The Barefoot College (1972) an NGO set up in Tilonia by Bunker Roy and SAMPDA(1994)

3. SELCO-India, Bangalore

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Pilot Project:

A remote village in Tamil Nadu as the enterprise is based out of Chennai

WHAT I NEED?

Although a few NRIs have promised funding to "give back to society" we need to avail

subsidies under MNRE's JNNSM and other government schemes and Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) programs as Solar Energy is Capital intensive and the MDGs needtrained manpower, technology, and adequate funding.

Advice on JNNSM policies (e.g., how to avail subsidies, how to approach

ministry etc., what does the detailed project reports need and how much funds

have not yet been allocated and when are the deadlines)

Advice on how to connect the villagers with technical trainers

How to connect to those who would be interested in interning with us

What kind of solar data needs to be collected to make a marketable resource (what

kind of equipments/training is necessary)

Advise on government rural employment generation, education, electrification,

and infrastructure development programs (how to tailor our projects todovetail/supplement with govt. policies)

Advise on how to approach corporates to get them to fun the Solar MD Centres aspart of their CSRs

Advise on how to tap domestic solar thermal and PV technology (So that moneyremains in the country)

Advise on how to approach IREDA and other financial institutions

Advise on how to approach MNRE to use cutting edge technology as opposed to

proven but less efficient technologies (e.g., Thin Film as opposed to Crystalline

Silicon solar cells etc.)

Advise on how to identify a pilot project village and other villages that have

immediate need for this project. Where will our work have maximum socialimpact.

How to recruit manpower to sustain the MDCs

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Eagerly awaiting assistance/expertise/advise/feedback and contacts/introduction to

interested parties,

Contact me at:

raakhee.orf@gmail.com

--

Raakhee Suryaprakash (P.S. Raakhee)SUNSHINE MILLENNIUM

Quote of the Week: HAPPY NEW YEAR...WISHING YOU ALL LUCK, LAUGHTER,LOVE, AND LUCRE ... THIS YEAR AND ALWAYS"

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