Rural Innovations for Sustainable Community Development Works in

Disadvantaged Rural Areas of Nepal

What are we doing?

Mahabir PunNepal Wireless

The Institute for Himalayan Conservation - Nepal

My Involvement in Nepal for 23 Years• Community Schools:– K -12 high school. Plan is to build a college

• Rural Healthcare:– Health training program for the rural health workers. Telemedicine

programs in the rural clinics

• Income Generating Programs for Rural People– Yak Farming, Cheese Production– Poultry, Duck, Rabbit Farming, Fishery– Paper Making, Bee Farming– Camping Grounds/ Tourist Lodges/Trekking

• Nature Conservation and Environment Protection Programs

Professor Dr. Kawakita Jiro1920 - 2009

He is my teacher for community development.

Professor Dr. Kawakita Jiro (1920 – 2009)

• Human Geographer. Worked for the welfare of people• Founder of KJ Ho – Japanese problem solving approach• Established ATCHA (Association for Technical

Cooperation to the Himalayan Areas) - 1974• Improved Water Mill, Gravity Run Ropeway, PVC

Drinking Water Pipe, Hydraulic Ram Pump etc.• Established IHC (Institute for Himalayan Conservation)

-1992. Working for Nature Conservation, Culture Conservation and Community Development works

Gravity Run Rope line

Reconstruction Work After the Earthquake 2015

Earthquake Severity Map, 2015

Death and Injuries by Earthquake

• No. of Nepali people died – 8,604• No. of people injured – 16,808• Number of foreigners died/injured – 70/50• No. of foreigners missing – 111

Damaged Schools and Houses by Earthquake

• No. of schools fully destroyed - 14,192• No. of schools partially damaged – 8,431• No. of houses fully destroyed– 591,647• No of houses partially destroyed – 276,395• No. of health post /hospital destroyed – 269

Approx. Damages Done

• Total Damage ~ approx. USD 6 Billion• Total Reconstruction Cost ~ approx. USD 5 to

8 Billion • Time it will take for the reconstruction - at

least 5 years

Village of Langtang buried

A family in Rasuwa

What are we doing now to help?

• Raising funds for rebuilding damaged schools with the help of friends all over the world.

• Planning to repair some of the damaged repeater stations.

Plans for using the Raised Fund

• Help build destroyed school building – 5 to 10• Help to build computer labs• Help to connect Internet to the computer lab.• Help to build toilet and drinking water • Plan to help build schools in the remote area

where nobody is helping them.

Plan for Building Rural Broadband in Earthquake Affected Areas

• Planning to build a hybrid broadband wireless network using unlicensed WiFi bands (2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz) and TV White Space bands.

• Government is going to open the TV White Space band under new broadband policy 2015.

• Planning to build WiFi hot spots in the rural areas.• Planning to build emergency communication

system and early warning system during the time of natural disaster

• For building school -Yen 1.5 Million to Yen 4 million or more depending upon the size and location of the school.

• For building one repeater station fully powered by solar – Yen 300,000 to Yen 500,000 depending upon the location and equipment

You are welcomed to participate in rebuilding schools and rural broadband projects.

Approximate Cost

Nangi, My Home Village

Starting - Himanchal High School

Challenges for the sustainability of the projects

Some Examples that we are doing

The Biggest Challenge

I had to be innovative to generate money in the mountains to support rural schools.

Yak Farm, Khopra, 3,650m (180 Yaks now)

Yak and Cow Cross Breeding farm

Cheese Making in Paudwar Village

Fishery in Nangi Village

Handmade Paper Making

Paper Products

Bee Keeping

Plum jams in made the village

Natural Fiber of Nettle and Cloth Making

Growing Shitake Mushroom

I had to be innovative to bring basic health services

Started Health Training in Nangi village

Health Training

Rural Local Health Worker

Telemedicine Center in a village

I had to be innovative to bring computers and Broadband Internet in disadvantaged regions of Nepal.

Started Nepal Wireless Networking Project in 2001 to build local communication system between the villages.

Built Computers from Used Parts

Built Rural Computer Labs

DLink 900AP Wi-Fi Router,

Maximum - Range 100 m

Homebuilt Antennas

Testing Phase (Year 2001)

The First Wireless Link Made in May 2002

Implementation Phases 1

Repeater Station 2 in 2005

Power Generation

Solar and Wind Power

Khopra Relay at 3,650m

Manaslu Region Repeater

Dhorjung Repeater Station at 4,200m

Rural Broadband Network in Myagdi

Manaslu Broadband Network

Wireless Network Usage

Goals of Rural Internet Project

• Tele-education and tele-training – Online educational content sharing, video conferencing between teachers and students

• Tele-medicine – Medical service through online or offline consultation using the Internet and Intranet

• Digital Literacy Program• Communication – E-mail, Internet Telephony.• E-Business – Internet banking transaction, remittance

services etc

Developed of Educational Contents in Local Language

E-Learning materials developed

E-Library materials developed

Local E-Commerce Site

We had to innovative to bring tourist and run Eco-tourism program in our area to create jobs and generate income for the communities.

Built Two Community Based Eco-trekking Programs

Home stay for the trekkers

Community owned lodges

Technical Research & Innovation Works(Reverse Innovation)

Weather Station at Khopra (3,650m) with Asian Institute of Technology Bangkok

With Nomura Engineering and JIIA, Developed and Implemented Trekkers Tracking System

Trying to Develop an ECG machine

Planning to Develop MedicopterDrone for Medicine Delivery

Plan is to collect of diagnostic sample of patients for testing

Proposed Testing Sites

Grape Trees from Nagano, Japan

Importing agriculture technique also. Tried to grow Washabi.

PaulowniaNative of China but grown all over

• Light and strong timber

• Good for furniture

• Mature at around 15 years

• Good fodder for animals

Nepali Organic Tea and Coffee

• Nepali tea is mostly sold to India.• Coffee is grown in the mid hills of Nepal in about

30 districts of Nepal.• Is exported to Japan, America, and Europe –

around 600 metric tonnes a year.• Nepali organic coffee has good market but the

country could not supply the coffee to meet the demand of around 6,000 metric tonnes a year.

Some works of Rural Innovation Lab

• Ginger Peeler and Processor • Solar Pond Water Heater – To

heat the water of the fish pond and make it warmer

• Manual Augur – To dig holes in the ground to put fence poles

Sustainable Dream Projects

Build a self-sustained innovation center

Nepal is not going to be a developed country unless and until we use the talented human resources.

Goal of National Innovation Center

• Create and nurture next generation inventors and innovators• To identify and nurture the talent and creativity of high

potential Nepali inventors, innovators and research scientist• To help the talented inventors and innovators financially and

technically in their efforts to accelerate the design, development and launching of innovative products and services

• To persuade talented Nepali citizens researchers and scientists currently working abroad to come and contribute

Dream to Build a 10 MW Hydro-Power Station to Support an Innovation Center

Nepal has approximately 40,000 MW of economically feasible hydropower potential that will never run out.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We have only approximately 700 MW of hydropower now.

How much Money a 10 MW Hydro Power Station Generates a Year??

• Total Net Income a Year = Yen 400,000,000

After deduction of different factors, O&M, Loan Payment etc, Approx. Balance ~ Yen 200,000,000 a year for Innovation Center

We are looking for partners and some financial

support from the government of Nepal and donors.

Cost Estimate for 10 MW Hydro Power

• Cost Estimate to build 10 MW Hydro Power station = USD 15 to 20 million

• We need approx. USD 5 million for equity, which is 30% of total project cost

• 70% of project cost will be taken as loan from commercial banks.

How can you be involved in Nepal?• You can be involved in bringing Japanese

investors and technologies in Nepal.• You can be involved in building broadband

wireless network in the rural areas of Nepal and make it useful for the villagers.

• You can be involved in helping to build innovation center in Nepal.

• You can volunteer as technical experts for building emergency communication and early warning systems in disaster prone areas.

The Ultimate Goal is to Create -

“Freedom of Opportunities” in Nepal

Just the political freedom is not enough to make life of people happy in a country.

• For More Information– Please Visit: • http://www.himanchal.org • http://www.nepalwireless.net • http://www.olenepal.org• http://nren.org.np

– Contact: mahabir@himanchal.org+977 9841592361 (mobile in Nepal)