Solar Committees
The technical management of solar operations is ensured with the close collaboration between the “women solar engineers” and the solar committee. It aims for the technical sustainability of solar maintenance services to village households.
- The financial revenue of the association of beneficiaries is mainly made up of membership fees for the association, and small monthly payments by households of costs related to the electricity service.
- The financial expenses of the association of beneficiaries relate to the payment of salaries (Solar Mamas, guards, treasurer, etc.), travel for the solar committee, office supplies, communication expenses (telephone) and other operating costs (printing, etc.), as well as on the acquisition of spare parts and solar components to be maintained.
- The level of remuneration of the Solar Mamas is to be defined at the level of each village within the framework of consultation between the association of beneficiaries, the solar committee and the Mamas.
- Depending on the balance of the operating account, the solar committee decides on compensation amounts for the work done by the members of the solar committee.
Management
Support for the solar committee begins immediately after the village meeting and continues until the capacities of the solar committee are deemed sufficient for it to be able to manage the electricity service independently. The capacities include those necessary for good organizational and relational management, good management of electricity users, good financial management, and good technical management.
The support is ongoing: supervision visitations at least once a month in the first year of management, then once every two months in the second year, etc.
Several one-off training courses are necessary beyond the supervision: training on entrepreneurial life, and training on the management of the electricity service. This may also include training in leadership, communication, or others depending on capacity-building needs.
The support must include ongoing collaboration between the engineers and the solar committee, which will facilitate minimized involvement of the ground partner in their support when the time is right.