How to educate last mile consumers in India about new technologies? Visit 9,000 villages and engage over 200,000 people.
With only 54 percent of India’s rural population exposed to television and radio, the IFC's Lighting Asia team in Indiarealized that they would need to take a creative approach to raising awareness about decentralized solar products. Cue the Suryoday—or "Sunrise"—campaign, with 16 foot vans rolled out across 31 districts enabling communities to interact first hand with solar lights and solar home systems. Decked with interactive quizzes, games, video and music—as well as solar products and a dark room for testing them—the vans provided the backdrop for events in 5 villages a day, including meetings with 54,000 women, 15,000 school children, and 17,000 potential retailers and distributers.
In this interview, Lighting Asia’s rural marketing expert in India, Praveen Kumar, shares his insights on running the Surayada program across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Listen to the Q&A.
How to educate last mile consumers in India about new technologies? Visit 9,000 villages and engage over 200,000 people.
With only 54 percent of India’s rural population exposed to television and radio, the IFC's Lighting Asia team in India realized that they would need to take a creative approach to raising awareness about decentralized solar products. Cue the Suryoday—or "Sunrise"—campaign, with 16 foot vans rolled out across 31 districts enabling communities to interact first hand with solar lights and solar home systems. Decked with interactive quizzes, games, video and music—as well as solar products and a dark room for testing them—the vans provided the backdrop for events in 5 villages a day, including meetings with 54,000 women, 15,000 school children, and 17,000 potential retailers and distributers.
In this interview, Lighting Asia’s rural marketing expert in India, Praveen Kumar, shares his insights on running the Surayada program across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Listen to the Q&A.