2 Nov 2012

MONGOLIA / SOLAR POWER

Nomadic Mongolian herder families find a source of affordable electricity with portable solar units that withstand their rugged lifestyle. With help from the World Bank, the solar program allows people living in one of the remotest regions on Earth to connect to a wider world. WORLD BANK

Posted at: November 2, 2012 1:42 pm

Duration: 03:06

Available in: SD

DOWNLOAD

Full script

STORY: MONGOLIA / SOLAR POWER
TRT: 3.06
SOURCE: WORLD BANK
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: APRIL 2012 , ULAAN BAATAR, MONGOLIA

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot, stars moving across sky in Mongolia
2. Close up, stoking of fire
3. Med shot, milk tea preparation
4. Wide shot, old man preparing milk tea
5. Med shot, old man exiting Ger into the morning light
6. Wide shot, old man spilling tea into the air
7. Wide shot, old man standing between two Gers
8. Med shot, herd leaving stable
9. Med shot, old man and little girl in stable
10. Med shot, little girl hugging a goat and pulled down to the ground
11. Med shot, young man, girl and an injured lam leaving stable
12. Med shot, woman talking into a cellphone
13. Med shot, Mongolian man exiting a Ger, and pointing at solar installation 
14. SOUNDBITE (Mongolian) D. Gantumur, herder:
"So this is where our solar panels are , here is one panel and this one, we have acquired through a government project. When it is straight up, it can catch sun almost all day long."
15. Wide shot, Television set inside a Ger
16. Med shot, man pointing out light bulbs in Ger
17. Close up, cables and backup battery
18. Wide shot, Mongolians dismantling a Ger and removing outer felt layer
19. Wide shot, Mongolians building a Ger and putting up solar power
20. Med shot, men walking into an appliance shop
21. Close up, solar panels
22. Close up, reflection in a kettle
23. Wide shot, group looking at solar panel outside shop
24. Med shot, men with boxes on horse cart
25. Med shot, man on horse cart
26. SOUNDBITE (Mongolian) Baatark Handaa, herder:
"It is wonderful that the country is developing, a few years ago country herders used to manage their life with candles and lanterns. The change in the life of herders between then and now is like night and day. Personally I believe that the quality of life in the countryside and the city are now about the same."
27. Med shot, solar panels in boxes on horse cart
28. Wide shot, horse cart
29. Med shot, man carrying bag with wool
30. Close up, wool lying on ground
31. Med shot, dealer checking and counting woolpacks
32. Close up, counting of money
33. Close up, shaking hands
34. Tracking shot, driving through Mongolian town
35. Tracking shot, driving shot with horses in front of car
36. Med shot, passing a lake on a dusty road
37. Med shot, A herd of cattle in wide grasslands
38. Close up, car radio in a Ger
39. Close up, game on a table
40. Med shot, family in Ger playing a game
41. Close up, young man
42. Close up, young woman
43. Close up, old man
44. Med shot, middle aged woman and man in Ger
45. SOUNDBITE (Mongolian) Elderly man
"In the olden days, during the time of Dschingis Khan, everything had to follow the path of the sun, the snuff bottle had to be handed on sunrise."
47. Wide shot, family singing
48. Close up, burning light bulbs in Ger
49. Wide shot, time-lapse of stars moving in night sky

STORYLINE

It is a cold morning in Mongolia and Dashzeveg Dorjsuren prepares milk tea, just as his ancestors have done for centuries.

The first offering always goes to the sun. In this extremely harsh climate, the sun is the source of all life.

This nomadic family of three generations lives in a temporary compound of tents known as Gers.

A herd of several dozen goats, sheep and yaks are their livelihood, providing milk, wool and meat.

It is a life without much comfort. There is no infrastructure, no roads, and no utilities.

But still, the Dashzeveg family got recently connected to the outside world. They now have electricity to charge mobile phones or watch TV. Thanks to solar energy.

SOUNDBITE (Mongolian) D. Gantumur, herder:
"So this is where our solar panels are, here is one panel and this one, we have acquired through a government project. When it is straight up, it can catch sun almost all day long."

For the first time 100.000 nomadic herder families can watch TV and switch on lights powered by a solar home system; made possible by a massive government project and the support of the World Bank.

The project designed a system that is simple, rugged and easy to install. When families pack up and move their tent, the electricity is back right away.

Herders Baatar Khandaa and his son Enkthaivan Baatar have come to buy a solar home system in this small appliance store in the northwestern Mongolian town of Moron. It is a private dealership that serves as one of the projects many sales and service centers in Mongolia's 21 provinces.  
Half the cost of each solar home system is provided through international donor funds the other half has to be paid by the herders; roughly the value of two goats.

SOUNDBITE (Mongolian) Baatark Handaa, herder:
"It is wonderful that the country is developing, a few years ago country herders used to manage their life with candles and lanterns. The change in the life of herders between then and now is like night and day. Personally I believe that the quality of life in the countryside and the city are now about the same."

And the new lifestyle pays off. When herders sell products such as cashmere wool they have learned about the going prices on TV and radio. They can sell at the right time for the right price and earn more money.

In just a decade the program has managed to provide solar electricity to herder families in every remote corner of Mongolia. And thanks to solar power the evenings have become lonGer under electric light. Somehow the new lifestyle meshes with long held traditions. That man should live in harmony with the sun.

SOUNDBITE (Mongolian) Elderly man
"In the olden days, during the time of Dschingis Khan, everything had to follow the path of the sun, the snuff bottle had to be handed on sunrise."

A new generation still beholden to the sun; not only to light up their days but now their future as well.