How It All Started

This programme began with a participatory video project carried out in Turkmenistan’s Kara Kum desert in 1999 (watch introductory video). Despite Turkmenistan’s impressive agricultural policies, high levels of outward migration threatened the long-term survival of  remote deserts villages.

Villagers felt that electricity would improve their lifestyles and encourage people to stay in the desert. It was also important that communities filled the void left after the collapse of the top-down, Soviet system. This required better cooperation within villages and a greater capacity for community action. Only then could villagers start to address issues which threatened to squeeze out further families. The "Solar Power = Community Power" programme aimed to unite these different elements.

 “Garregul” - a film made by the community, helped raise support among the International donor community and Insight’s “Solar Power = Community Power” project was born.  

Solar Power = Community Power see video!

In this community action programme the installation of solar power is combined with the creation of a communally owned flock of sheep. Each family exchanges 1 ewe + 1 female lamb for their solar panel. These animals become the collective property of the village and are used as a community action fund. As this flock increases in size so too does the villagers’ resource base for carrying out their own community action.

Insight facilitators help the villagers develop a community action plan outlining the improvements they wished to carry out in their villages over the next 3 years with the help of the newly created community flock. Dependency on external solutions and support is thereby reduced and collective community action and decision making is encouraged. An additional shepherding job is also created.

Key elements:

• The programme has been running since 2001 providing more than 450 individuals with electricity in 6 different shepherding villages in the heart of Turkmenistan’s Karra Kum desert.
• Each household owns their own system – this ensures they are well looked after
• 1 ewe + 1 female lamb are exchanged for each solar panel, creating a communal flock which is used as a community action fund for the village.
• The community is involved at every stage. Decisions are made collectively at open meetings. PV methods ensure everyone is given the opportunity to share their opinions and ideas.
• The members of each household are fully involved in the installation process. In this way they learn how their system works and how to carry out routine maintenance.
• Our work has reinforced the message that communities have the power to improve their own situation, eroding mentalities of hopelessness and dependency.

How the community action flock is organised:

Villagers elect a person to look after the community action flock and another to represent the interests of the village and check on the growth and condition of the flock. The shepherd must achieve an 88% birthing rate and is entitled to keep half the lambs as his payment. Everyone was satisfied that this arrangement would avoid misunderstandings or mistrust .

 “If there is a well which is not working properly or there is one which collapses or we need to dig a new one, that is the time we will use this flock.” 
Village Elder

Gender and Power: