Operation Day's Work -- USA

**1999-2000 Funding Application**

# PROJECT INFORMATION

**Name of Project:** International Youth Program/El Salvador

**Name of U.S. NGO:** National Rural Electric Cooperative Association --
International Foundation

**Address:** 4301 Wilson Boulevard

Arlington, VA 22203

**Contact Person:** Allison Clark, Program Coordinator

**Phone:** 703-907-5625

**Fax:** 703-907-5532

**E-mail Address:** <allison.clark@nreca.org>

**Project Site in El Salvador:** Northern Morazan school district

**Collaborating Organizations:** Salvadoran Center for Energy Efficiency

(CSEE) and ACAEM Rural Electric Cooperative

**Project Director:** James Willis, Manager of Utility Services

**Project Start and End Dates:** July 9 -- July 16, 2000

**Amount Requested:** \$30,000 per year; \$90,000 Total

# ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

**1. Background of NRECA**

### National Rural Electric Cooperative Association {#national-rural-electric-cooperative-association .unnumbered}

Founded in 1942, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
(NRECA) is a national support/service cooperative. A 46-person Board of
Directors, elected by its 1,050 member electric cooperatives, governs
NRECA. The national electric cooperative system provides electric energy
to 35 million Americans covering approximately 75% of the continental
U.S.

NRECA was founded by the rural electric systems of the United States to
establish national leadership for the rural electrification program and
to provide a wide range of specialized services to its member systems,
their employees and consumers. NRECA provides national level
representation, information, and communication; management consulting,
technical assistance, and training services; and insurance and financial
institutions for member systems and employees.

## The NRECA International Programs Division {#the-nreca-international-programs-division .unnumbered}

In 1962, NRECA established the International Programs Division (IPD) to
assist in the implementation and expansion of rural electric systems in
developing countries. The motivation for these international efforts was
straightforward: having developed effective procedures for establishing,
constructing, and operating electric generation and distribution systems
in the United States, NRECA\'s member systems wanted to share this
knowledge with others. NRECA has worked closely with the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) since the first NRECA/USAID contract
was signed in the office of President John Kennedy in 1962. NRECA also
provides support to projects financed by the World Bank, various
regional development institutions, host country governments, and the
electric utilities themselves. IPD has developed a number of internal
organizations to respond to the varied requirements of international
development, including NRECA International, Limited, and the NRECA
International Foundation.

## NRECA International, Ltd. {#nreca-international-ltd. .unnumbered}

NRECA International, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the National
Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), has headquarter at the
corporate offices of NRECA in Arlington, Virginia in the metropolitan
area of Washington, DC. NRECA International, Ltd., was incorporated in
June 1972, has a successful 27-year history of providing technical
assistance to electric utilities around the world. Activities include
cooperative development, promotion, planning, implementation,
backstopping, contract management, and evaluation of rural
electrification projects and the institution-building aspects of
providing reliable electric power.

## NRECA International Foundation {#nreca-international-foundation .unnumbered}

The NRECA International Foundation, formed in 1985 as a private
voluntary organization (PVO), is a formal sponsoring agency for donated
assistance that provides tax benefits to federally taxable donors
(though most electric cooperatives are not eligible for federal tax
deductions).

The Foundation Mission Statement reads:

> *The NRECA International Foundation serves disadvantaged people in
> developing countries by helping to generate income and derive social
> benefits through the use of electric energy and technology thereby
> providing the opportunity to become healthy, productive, self reliant
> people.*

The Foundation accomplishes its mission by providing volunteers to work
on electrification projects in developing countries, conducting U.S.
development education programs involving both youth and adults, and
providing donated equipment and materials to help build and maintain
rural electric systems.

**2. Collaborative History Between El Salvador NGO and NRECA
International**

NRECA International's field office in El Salvador was instrumental in
the formation and initial operations of the Centro Salvadoreno de
Eficiencia de Energia or the Salvadoran Center for Energy Efficiency
(CSEE). CSEE was established to promote conservation and efficient
energy use throughout the region by improved methods and up-to-date
technologies, including the promotion of solar and other alternate
sources of energy. The organization is directed to companies, government
officials, professionals, technicians, and suppliers related to the
industrial, commercial and residential energy and electric distribution
sector. It is CSEE's mission to motivate and train Salvadorans in the
areas of energy efficiency, conservation, and energy management, as well
as contribute to the education of the public on the efficient use of
energy. CSEE has been in existence for seven years and along with
NRECA/El Salvador, has contributed significantly to improving energy
efficiency and professional development in El Salvador.

NRECA/El Salvador was also instrumental in the creation of ACAEM Rural
Electric Cooperative, a member-owned electric utility that covers a
service area for 65,000 people in and around the city of Moraz, located
approximately 150 miles east of San Salvador. Moraz was one of the areas
most affected by the civil war of the 1980's. After the civil war, the
communities of Moraz organized to create the electric cooperative as a
means of having direct participation in determining their own destiny.
NRECA/El Salvador provided technical assistance and training to the
utility, secured used and donated equipment and materials for use on the
project, and successfully placed a Peace Corps volunteer to assist in
the cooperative's administration. The cooperative's service area covers
approximately 800 square kilometers of hilly terrain of mixed forest and
cultivated hillsides.

#### 3. Prior Experience in the Project Area {#prior-experience-in-the-project-area .unnumbered}

The NRECA International Foundation implemented an International Youth
Program in Costa Rica in December, 1998. The program consisted of six
youth from throughout the United States who participated in the
installation of solar electric panels and lights in two village schools
in Costa Rica. The villages were located too far from the national
electrical grid to be connected to electricity. The schools served as
both educational and community centers, and having lights in the schools
benefited many segments of the village populations. The project gave the
American youth the opportunity to be involved in an international rural
electrification project as well as perform all of the hands-on work
necessary for its successful completion, including electrical wiring and
light and solar panel installation. Moreover, teachers, students, and
local villagers interacted with the participating youth and also learned
about the proper upkeep and maintenance of the installed systems.

NRECA International has a long history of involvement with renewable
energy projects in Latin America, specifically the installation of solar
home systems for electricity. In the 1990's, NRECA began undertaking a
range of projects to demonstrate the harnessing of indigenous renewable
resources, most notably solar photovoltaic energy. The solar home
systems meet the domestic electricity needs of rural households as well
as systems designed to meet community needs, such as water pumping and
schools. To date, NRECA has implemented at least 10 pilot solar home
systems projects. Several of these pilot projects have expanded to
larger programs. In total, approximately 450 families in Guatemala,
Costa Rica, and Bolivia were equipped with solar units, in addition to
community centers and schools in the selected communities.

The Salvadoran Center for Energy Efficiency (CSEE) founded the first
energy efficiency library in El Salvador and has held seminars and
workshops on photovoltaic technology, cogeneration, demand side
management, metering, and electric sector efficiency improvements. CSEE
has also been involved in community service projects through the model
Energy Efficient Neighborhood program, as well as solar and wind energy
projects.

#### C. PROJECT DESCRIPTION {#c.-project-description .unnumbered}

####  {#section .unnumbered}

#### 1. Project Goal {#project-goal .unnumbered}

The goal of the International Youth Program/El Salvador is to
successfully install solar electrification technology at two rural
schools currently without electricity through the installation of solar
panels, lights, and electrical wiring. Electricity will be provided to
these public spaces through the hands-on efforts of U.S. youth chosen to
participate in the program. Electrification of the schools will
positively enable all segments of the designated communities and allow
for enriched learning opportunities for the schools' students, the
villagers and teachers in the communities, and the U.S. youth
participants.

2.  **Project Objectives**

The International Youth Program/El Salvador consists of four objectives
that support the overall goal of successfully installing solar
electrification technology, which are as follows:

-   Introduce the importance of rural electrification and how
    electrification effects positive change in individuals and
    communities. The U.S. youth participants will be exposed to rural
    village life in areas of El Salvador currently without electricity.
    The program will effectively illustrate the importance of
    electrification in those areas of the world that do not have
    adequate sources of energy through hands-on experience and
    interaction with rural villagers.

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-   Provide an overall orientation to the Rural Electrification Concept
    on the international level through first-hand observations of a
    member-owned rural electric cooperative and an energy efficiency
    organization. Visits to the headquarters of CSEE and ACAEM Rural
    Electric Cooperative will take place and exposure to renewable
    energies such as hydroelectric power and photovoltaic technology
    will be introduced.

-   Through the involvement of rural El Salvadoran villagers, present
    the opportunity for personal interaction and discussions, enabling a
    cross-cultural dialogue of information and ideas. Moreover,
    contribute to an improved sense of wellbeing and accomplishment
    through hands-on work and participation in a community project.

-   Provide the US youth with the opportunity to share what they have
    learned with their communities back home, providing for an exchange
    of information, culture, and an example of the cooperative way at
    work.

3.  **Project Background/Rationale**

The International Youth Program/El Salvador will address the immediate
need of providing electricity to two rural schools in villages currently
without electricity. The villages are located in the Morazan area of El
Salvador, which is located in the service territory of ACAEM Rural
Electric Cooperative. By providing electricity to the designated
schools, the International Youth Program will enable the schools to
increase the educational programs currently being offered, as well as
enable the villagers to use the schools during evening hours as
gathering places, community spaces, and public kitchens. Furthermore,
the installation of solar electrification technology, with the
involvement and assistance of CSEE and ACAEM Rural Electric Cooperative,
will create a relationship with the inhabitants of Morazan that may lead
to expanded electrification activities and follow-on work in the
villages.

Moreover, the participating U.S. youth will have the opportunity to
observe the importance of rural electrification through their work in
rural villages currently without access to any forms of energy. They
will interact with the local villagers and have the opportunity to ask
questions as well as share information about themselves, creating a
cross-cultural exchange of ideas. In addition, through the technical
assistance of a rural electric cooperative and an energy efficiency
organization, the youth will be exposed to the overall operations and
management of organizations dedicated to providing quality service and
information on rural electrification issues.

#  PROJECT BENEFICIARIES

1.  **Who Will Benefit From This Project?**

The initial International Youth Program/El Salvador will benefit the
students of schools located in two villages in the Morazan area of El
Salvador. The villages are located outside of the national electrical
grid and therefore do not have access to electricity. The first target
village is Tierra Colorada, located 10 KM northeast of Perquin, a town
that was devastated during the civil war in El Salvador in the 1980's.
The village is comprised of approximately 50 families who are primarily
farmers of corn, cane, coffee, beans, and hennequin, which is used for
rope and sacks. The village has one school with close to 100 students
between the ages of 5 and 13 and a community center that also doubles as
a health unit.

The second target village is Rancho Vivo, located 2 KM from the newly
defined northern Honduras-El Salvador border. It is located between the
towns of Arambala and Perquin. Rancho Vivo has approximately 200
families and is projected to have over 500 families in the near future
due to a border dispute settlement that was reached last year between
the two countries. Because many villages in El Salvador officially
became territories of Honduras, many families are moving from Honduras
back into El Salvador, returning with virtually nothing and starting new
lives in Rancho Vivo. The current villagers farm raspberries, radishes,
cucumber, cabbage and some basic grains. The village has a school with
approximately 200 students, aged 5-14, and it is in need of expansion
due to the influx of new children.

**2. How Will They Benefit?**

The U.S. youth participants of the International Youth Program/El
Salvador will outfit the schools with solar panels, lights, and the
necessary electrical wiring that will provide both schools with
electricity. Targeting two rural schools for the implementation of solar
electrification technology will be beneficial for not only the students
of the schools but for the villages as a whole. Schools are often the
focal points of communities, providing villages with centers of learning
as well as spaces for communal gatherings and civic and business
functions. Providing electricity to these spaces will positively enable
all segments of the communities and will allow for enriched learning
opportunities for the village students. Moreover, having electricity
will enable the village schools to hold classes at night, allowing for
older kids, aged 12 to 18 and currently not able to attend classes, to
continue their education.

In addition, through the technical assistance of the El Salvador rural
electric cooperative and CSEE, a relationship will develop with the
designated communities, allowing for important follow-up work in these
rural areas. Moreover, the villagers of Terra Colorada and Rancho Vivo
will be positively exposed to the culture and way of life of the U.S.
youth participants, creating dialogues for communication and
cross-cultural understanding.

**3. Beneficiaries Involvement in Planning/Implementation**

Staff from CSEE and ACAEM Rural Electric Cooperative will visit with
village leaders in both villages prior to the start of the program. The
process of implementing the solar electrification technology will be
explained to them, and they will formulate the scheduling for the actual
implementation of the project. In addition, villagers, teachers, and
students from the schools will be invited to observe and participate in
the installation of the solar panels and the completion of the indoor
wiring. The villagers will learn how to properly maintain the solar
electrification technology through discussions with the assisting
technical personnel and will be given contact information in the event
that questions or problems arise in the future.

4.  **How Will the Project Promote Desired Youth Outcomes?**

The International Youth Program/El Salvador will promote Confidence on
the part of the El Salvador students attending the targeted schools by
enabling them to be involved in a meaningful project in their community,
thereby enhancing their sense of self-worth.

The project will promote the youth outcome of Character by enabling the
village youth to act responsibly with their education. Increased
learning opportunities will be presented to the village youth through
the electrification of their schools. By taking advantage of these
opportunities, the youth will develop a sense of accountability for
their own conduct as well as independence and control over their present
and future lives.

Connection will be promoted through the involvement of the village youth
in the planning and implementation of the project, and as a result, be
active, participating members of their communities. In addition, through
introductions with their peer youth from the U.S., possibilities for
cross-cultural friendships will be created.

The International Youth Program/El Salvador will promote Civic, Social,
and Cultural Competence by enabling the village youth to work
collaboratively with their fellow villagers and the participating U.S.
youth on a project that is for the larger good of their communities.
Moreover, their interaction with the U.S. youth will result in renewed
respect and positive responsiveness to the inherent differences in their
backgrounds, interests, and traditions.

Increased educational opportunities will be available to the El
Salvadoran students through the installation of lights in their schools,
resulting in greater Intellectual Competence. They may then use these
opportunities to gain the basic knowledge necessary to graduate from
high school.

#  {#section-1 .unnumbered}

# E. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION {#e.-project-implementation .unnumbered}

1.  **Specific Activities**

NRECA currently has a youth program in place called the NRECA Youth
Tour. The program consists of 1,000 high school students who participate
in NRECA activities, such as Regional and Annual Meetings of cooperative
personnel, and rural electrification programs in coordination with the
rural electric cooperatives located in their own states. When NRECA's
International Foundation implemented the International Youth Program in
Costa Rica, the project consisted of Youth Tour members who were
interested in participating in a rural electrification project overseas.
The International Youth Program/El Salvador will once again solicit
interested members of the Youth Tour to participate in this project. A
strong interest in international development issues, Spanish language
background, and any prior overseas travel will be the main criteria for
interested participants.

The designated youth participants will be responsible for fundraising
\$2,500 in order to participate in the program. A portion of this amount
will come from the sponsorship of the youth's home state rural electric
cooperative. Their fundraising efforts will contribute to the overall
budget that will cover participant travel, food, lodging, solar
electrification equipment, staff time, and miscellaneous expenses.

Two International Youth Programs per year will take place in El Salvador
over the next three years. The programs will take place over the course
of eight days each July and December/January. These dates coincide with
the summer and winter school breaks that will enable the U.S. youth to
participate with the least amount of disruption to their school
schedules. There will be 10-15 youth participants per program. For each
International Youth Program/El Salvador that is implemented, two
villages currently without electricity and in need of school lighting
will be designated with cooperation between the NRECA International
Foundation, the Salvadoran Center for Energy Efficiency (CSEE) and an El
Salvador rural electric cooperative.

The first International Youth Program/El Salvador will take place from
July 9-16, 2000, in two villages located in the Morazan area of northern
El Salvador, Tierra Colorada and Rancho Vivo. The project schedule will
consist of approximately one day in San Salvador for arrival and
orientation; two days at the headquarters of CSEE and ACAEM Rural
Electric Cooperative; three days in the designated villages to install
the solar electrification technology; and the remaining days used for
sightseeing and in-country travel between sites. In addition to the
youth participants, there will be a minimum of three adult chaperones,
including at least one NRECA staff person and two fluent local language
speakers, who will accompany the youth participants at all times.

All airline arrangements will be made from NRECA and, prior to the start
of the program, tickets will be distributed to the youth participants.
Background information on the target villages as well as information on
the history, traditions, and culture of El Salvador will also be
distributed. The youth participants will travel from their home states
and will be met upon arrival in El Salvador by chaperones and
accompanied to their hotel.

The next International Youth Program will be developed to start soon
after the return of the initial project participants.

**2. How Will Both Sides of the Partnership Be Involved in
Implementation?**

Mr. Raul Gonzalez, a staff member in NRECA's El Salvador field office,
will handle all in-country coordination and logistics. He will work
closely with Mr. Armando Castaneda, the Technical Affairs Director of
CSEE, Ms. Sandra Medrana-Valladares, President of ACAEM Rural Electric
Cooperative, and Mr. Enrique Caceres Blandon, ACAEM Administrator.

Mr. Gonzalez will be responsible for securing local lodging and
transportation, and arranging any short sightseeing excursions. CSEE
will contribute trucks, tools, and technical personnel for hands-on
guidance and assistance during the installation of the solar
electrification technology. ACAEM Rural Electric Cooperative will
communicate and coordinate with representatives of Tierra Colorada and
Rancho Vivo to finalize scheduling and participation of villagers,
teachers, and students.

**3. Plans for Project Continuation**

After the completion of six International Youth Programs over a three
year period, sufficient interest and support will have been generated
from the rural electric cooperative community in the United States to
financially enable similar programs throughout Central America. With
rural electric cooperative sponsorship of youth participants and
supplementary funding from other granting agencies, the International
Youth Program and the installation of solar electrification technology
at rural schools can continue well into the future.

#  {#section-2 .unnumbered}

# PROJECT EVALUATION

The success of the International Youth Program/El Salvador will be based
on the fulfillment of the project goal and objectives. Upon completion
of the initial project, if the students and teachers of each target
school are able to turn on the lights and have electricity in their
classrooms, the International Youth Program will be considered a
success. Other anticipated results of a successful project will be
expanded educational programs offered at each school, improved cultural
relationships between the U.S. youth and their El Salvadoran
counterparts, community use of the schools for village functions and
gatherings, and the development of a working relationship between the
target villages and CSEE and ACAEM Rural Electric Cooperative.

The last objective of the International Youth Program/El Salvador
involves having the U.S. youth participants present what they have
learned and accomplished back home, through presentations and
discussions at their rural electric cooperatives, local schools and
student groups, and civic organizations. The youth will also be required
to make a formal presentation at NRECA, thereby formally concluding the
project. In addition, CSEE and ACAEM will do follow-up work in Tierra
Colorada and Rancho Vivo and summarize their findings in written reports
submitted to NRECA.

# PROPOSED PROJECT BUDGET

Please see the attached NRECA International Youth Program budget for
2000.