Site visit to Mvuti, 17 July, Emmanuel Cassimatis
On Friday July 17, Jukka, Jamie and I visited Mvuti, a small town/village at the periphery of Dar Es Salaam about 1 hour away from the town. We were accompanied by Emmanuel, one of our partners in Tanzania. The community has approximately 1,900 households, no electricity and is 5 kilometers from the closest power line.
Mvuti’s town center
Mvuti’s town center
Fruit sellers at Mvuti
Fruit sellers at Mvuti
We arrived at the town center, and were directed to the town officials: the chairman, the coordinator for the youth association, the secretary of the association and the representative for water resources. They were very enthusiastic and keen on seeing us develop the charging stations as soon as possible. The officials stressed their people’s will and financial ability to have such a service and welcomed us in their village, with the hope that we would choose this location for our pilot.
The town/village officials
We interviewed several different people to assess the market:
- Mratibu, the town coordinator: Mratibu is a farmer who earns his income from farming cassavas, passion fruits and spinach in this garden. He uses kerosene, AA batteries, firewood and charcoal for his energy needs. His overall energy bill for lighting and radio could be reduced by 85% with Egg-tech batteries. Mratibu uses a radio and torch, as well as a generator, and if he had access to electricity, he would buy a TV and another radio. Mratibu is, most concerned about sending his children to school, and reducing his energy bill would allow him to feel more secure about doing so.
- Jacob, a carpenter: Jacob is a carpenter. His income comes from two sites, one in the village and one in Dar es Salaam. Jacob uses charcoal, kerosene, AA batteries and a car battery. His lighting and radio energy could be reduced by 81% with Egg-tech.
Jacob uses a torch, a bulb and kerosene lamps. He has also, and installed wiring in his house. He is very happy with his bulb, which provides him with light and improves his quality of life. He does use the additional hours with lighting to extend his working day.
- Agnes, a household mother: Agnes is in charge of a household of sixother people, including her husband and five children. Her main sources of income are nuts collection and sales, which she does every three days. She has no radio for AA batteries, or bulb and uses kerosene lamps. Egg-tech’s service would enable a 65% savings from her energy bill.
A typical household
Inhabitants burning their waste
- Msafiri, a battery charger: Msafiri earns his income by charging car and phone batteries. He owns a motorcycle to charge the car batteries in Dar Es Salaam, and solar panels to charge the phone batteries.
The motorcycle with the car batteries
The solar panels on the roof
The visit proved quitepromising. The demand for EGG-tech’s service is undoubtedly there. Families want better lighting than the dim glimmer of kerosene lamps, hope topreserve their health, and to work and study longer at night. They also seem to have the financial means to purchase the batteries and are eager to realize the savings of 35% or more from their current spending on energy.,
