Recognising that websites, CDs and print materials weren't achieving results, I tested locally-created videos as a training method for solar cooking in Nigeria. See lessons learned:

1. A Solar Cooking Case Study:
Appropriate ICTs for
Development in Nigeria
September 2005
Carole St. Laurent
carole@fluidITsolutions.com
(416) 762-2245

2. Project Background
 Visited Oke-Ogun Community
Development Network (OCDN) in Ago-
Are, Oyo State, Nigeria (south-east)
 10,000 people, farming community, OCDN
introduced computer training centre in
2003
 No telephones; poor radio reception
 OCDN Internet café as of 2004

3. Project Background (cont’d)
 Fantsuam Foundation (FF) is an
organization in BayanLoco, near
Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria
(central)
 Micro-finance, computer training, and
Internet café
 Partners with OCDN on some projects

4. Map of Nigeria
Ago-Are,
Oyo State
BayanLoco, near
Kafanchan,
Kaduna State

5. Project Background (cont’d)
 OCDN and FF:
 Prior interest in solar cooking
 Emailed and online instructions, text +
diagrams, were not successfully
implemented
 Would video be a more effective training
medium due to literacy, oral culture, and its
richer communication possibilities through
audio and visual content?

6. Benefits of Audiovisuals
 We retain:*
 10% of what we read
 20% of what we hear
 30% of what we see
 50% of what we hear and see
 70% of what we say
 90% of what we say and do
*Robert Pike, as cited in Javidi, Giti and Sheybani, Ehsan. 2004. Effects Of
Interactive Multimedia In Distance Learning.
http://www-ice.upc.es/butlleti/innsbruck/416-114.pdf (updated Feb. 2004;
accessed Aug. 20, 2005).

7. SC Project Created
 Result: Solar Cooking Video Project
 Goals:
 SC outreach in two communities to improve
economic well-being, health, and the environment
 Via local Solar Cooking (SC) Training Videos
 Evaluate their effectiveness
 Solar Cooking Training
 Video Production Training
 Website Development/Online Tools
Training

8. Importance of Solar Cooking
 “In some locations, many families are said to
spend nearly a quarter of their income on
firewood.”*
 Coal, Kerosene and oil are even more costly
 Nigeria will be completely deforested in 2020
at current depletion rates**
 70% of Nigerians live on < US$1 per day**
*Renewable Energy for Rural Industrialization and Development in Nigeria, UNIDO,
2003
**Environment and Energy for Poverty Reduction Programme, Government of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and UNDP, May 20, 2004

9. Importance of Solar Cooking
(cont’d)
 Over 1,100 people die each day in sub-
Saharan Africa due to illness caused by
cooking smoke – mostly women and
children.*
 Collecting firewood and cooking over a fire is
a significant burden on women
*African Networks for Health Research and Development (AFRO-NETS).
2004. Indoor Air Pollution - The Killer in the Kitchen.
http://www.afronets.org/archive/200410/msg00058.php (updated Oct.
15, 2004; accessed Aug. 12, 2005)

10. Importance of Solar Cooking
(cont’d)
 46% of Nigerians lack clean water*
 Typhoid fever, and other water-borne
diseases, cause significant health problems
in Nigeria**
 Solar cookers can pasteurize water and
prevent diseases and untimely deaths.
*Environment and Energy for Poverty Reduction Programme, Government of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and UNDP, May 20, 2004
**Dr. Chris Azukaeme, Kafanchan, Nigeria

11. CooKit Panel Solar Cooker
Rashid Adesiyan checking water in CooKit Panel Solar Cooker, Ago-
Are, Nigeria (Note: the pot must be put in a clear plastic bag for effective solar
cooking)

12. Box Solar Cooker
Box Solar Cooker with Glass Lid, Ago-Are, Nigeria (with
Rukayat Adewumi, front, and Grace, back)

13. Parabolic Solar Cooker
Parabolic Solar Cooker, BayanLoco, Nigeria (left to right:
Maria Ajayi, Pastor David Adesokan, Ezekiel Kyari)

14. Ago-Are Community,
South-western Nigeria
Community
Project Overview
Carole St. Laurent
Trainer / Researcher
Oke-Ogun Community
Development Network
ICT Training, Internet Café
BayanLoco Community,
Central Nigeria
Community
Fantsuam
Foundation
Micro-finance, ICT
Training , Internet Café

15. Project Outputs
 Two Nigerian NGOs gained skills in:
 Solar Cooking
 Video Production
 Simple Website Production
 Two Solar Cooking Videos were created:
 How to Solar Cook (in Hausa)
 How to Build a Box Solar Cooker (in Yoruba)

16. Project Outputs (cont’d)
 Preliminary Research indicates that:
 Video effectively communicates general
solar cooking information, motivations, use,
recipes
 Complex instructions need more support
(e.g., video improvements, interactive
training method, or hands-on practice)

17. Diffusion of Innovations
 Diffusions of Innovations (DOI) is a
popular model for development – e.g.,
agricultural extension agents reach
some farmers, who reach their
neighbours with new innovations
 Huge problem: sometimes only 14% of
message reaches neighbours, and 25%
of it is distorted

18. Video + Diffusion Efforts =
Improvement
 Video improves the diffusion of
innovations model:
 Improves access to 100% of the original
message, without distortions
 This allows successful implementation of
the innovation, versus trying and failing
due to inadequate knowledge
 50% of audiovisual material retained,
versus 10% of messages that are heard

19. Video + Diffusion Efforts =
Improvement (cont’d)
 Increased success with innovation will
increase its spread (otherwise, a good
innovation could receive a poor
reputation and its benefits be missed
out on by communities)
 The best way to share the information is
from local actors in the local language
with local modifications e.g., locally
created videos

20. Project Outputs (cont’d)
 More educated community members grasped
solar cooking principles more quickly, and
took stronger leadership roles in workshops
 Points to effective use of video in “train the
trainer model”
 Communicating for Change in Nigeria uses
this model with videos, primarily for HIV/AIDS
awareness

21. ICT4D Historical
Development Pyramid
Focus on ICT4D
(applications,
software, processes)
T
I
M
E
Focus on Digital Divide,
Infrastructure (phones, Internet,
electricity)
Development goals remained unmet.
ICTs alone have a limited impact on
development.
Activity
Literacy, ICT skills,
language, gender, content
relevance and language, and
social needs are critical
enabling factors.
ICTs “by the
people for the
people,”
based on local
context,
language, and
needs.
Lessons
Learned
Focus on local
content creation
(new fonts,
localised
software)

22. OCDN – Some of the People
L to R: Chief Adejumo*, Chief Adetola*, Pam McLean+,
Education Minister, Chief Mojoinola*, David Mutua~
*Board of Directors
+Volunteer/Founder
from UK
~Project Manager, 2003-
2004

23. OCDN Information Centre

24. Mujidat Lawal, OCDN Trainer
(2004-2005)
Bringing diesel for the generator on a taxi

25. Rukayat Adewumi, OCDN
Trainer (2005 - )
L to R: Internet Customer, Carole St. Laurent, Rukayat
Adewumi, Photocopy Customer, at the OCDN Info Centre

26. Building a Box Solar Cooker
David Mutua (L), shows people how to construct a box solar
cooker at OCDN Info Centre, Ago-Are.

27. Video Training
Carole showing Stephen (L) and Tobi Ajayi (R) how to
edit videos.

28. Shooting Construction

29. Producing Yoruba Video

30. Enjoying Soccer, OCDN
The new Television Viewing Centre attracts customers for
soccer games, and is available for educational programs
such as the solar cooking training.

31. Video Training, FF
Carole leading the first Video Production course at
Fantsuam Foundation ICT training centre, Kafanchan.

32. Building Box SC at FF

33. Building Panel SC at FF

34. Team Members at FF
Ezekiel Kyari, Carole St. Laurent, Gloria Ayuba, David Mutua