Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire

ADES - Association pour le Développement de l'Energie Solaire Suisse - Madagascar is a Swiss NGO that has been working to preserve the forests in Madagascar since 2001. By distributing solar and energy-saving cookers, ADES reduces the demand for wood and charcoal. The cooker production is accompanied by education and reforestation projects. ADES is guided by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. According to "The Gold Standard", ADES' work has a positive impact on 10 of the 17 SDGs for sustainable development. In 2021, ADES received the award for international .ORG of the Year 2021 at the .ORG Impact Awards and also won the category Overcoming Climate Change.
The Association
On 23 March 2001, the association ADES was founded in Ottenbach (Zurich, Switzerland). ADES founder Regula Ochsner was a development worker in Toliara in the south of Madagascar from 1972 to 1975. When she visited the country with her mother Ruth Ochsner in 1998, she was dismayed by the rapidly progressing deforestation. Regula and Ruth Ochsner decided to do their utmost to preserve the forest in Madagascar. At the founding meeting, Regula Ochsner was elected the first president of the association. Since 2018, the association has been certified with the seal of approval of the Swiss foundation Zewo. 
Mode of operation
After concentrating on the production of solar cookers in the early years, ADES integrated new areas of activity into its operations over the years. Today, ADES follows a three-pillar approach. Based on fundamental social values and aiming to preserve Madagascar's forests and livelihoods, the three pillars of activities include:
- Solar and energy saving cookers
ADES solar and energy-saving cookers significantly reduce wood and coal consumption. Solar cookers heat food using only the power of the sun. Energy-saving cookers reduce fuel consumption by 50 to 80 percent, depending on use.
- Education and awareness-raising
For a long-term improvement of the situation in Madagascar, ADES uses education and sensitisation measures to make the population more sensitive to nature. Resellers are helped to build up a financial livelihood. Specially trained staff teach environmental education to schoolchildren and enable teachers to integrate environmental education into their lessons.
- Reforestation
ADES is reforesting at six locations in Madagascar (as of 2022). One focus is on the Ejeda region, where projects are implemented together with local village communities. In the highlands and at other locations, ADES works together with reforestation partner organisations. In 2021, about 120,000 trees were reforested in this way. 
Organisation
ADES is organised as a swiss association and its General Assembly is the highest body. The Board of Directors, which works free of charge, determines the strategic direction and appoints the management. ADES maintains an office in Mettmenstetten. The tasks of the office include operational management, financing of the overall project as well as communication and awareness raising in Switzerland and other countries. The Madagascar Directorate reports directly to the Executive Board in Switzerland. It carries out operational activities in Madagascar on behalf of the ADES association.
As of 2021, ADES is active in all 22 regions of Madagascar. ADES maintains 8 centres, eight branches and three motorised ADES Mobiles, which reach out to the population away from urban centres. ADES has created 240 jobs in Madagascar (as of September 2022).
The association is financed by donations and membership fees. Since 2011, ADES energy-saving cookers have been certified by The Gold Standard, enabling ADES to gain another financial foothold through the sale of CO2 certificates. In 2021, 53 per cent came from the sale of certificates.
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*November 2021 - ADES wins ADES wins the category "overcoming climate change" and the main prize "organisation of the year" at the international .ORG Impact Awards.
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*2002: ADES Annual Report for 2022
==The products that ADES manufactures and sells==
==Audio and video==
*2021
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==Contact==
Luc Estapé
General Manager
IM Grindel 6
8932 Mettmenstetten
Switzerland
Tel. +41 44 466 60 50
Email: info@ades-solaire.org
Web: http://www.ades-solaire.org
Category:NGOs
Category:Switzerland
Category:Madagascar
Category:Manufacturers and vendors
Category:NGOs employing carbon credits
Category:Verified active 2024