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Woman from CEWDC, Banglasesh, assembling a CFL.

The consultancy Prokaushali Sangsad Limited (PSL) realised the need for both quality lighting and employment for unskilled women on the remote island of Char Montaz. They set up the Coastal Electrification and Women's Development Co-operative (CEWDC), and the 35 members assemble and sell photovoltaic solar home systems (SHS) to island families, and also run a battery charging service.

Char Montaz is a remote island in the Bay of Bengal, 18 hours by boat from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. People live mainly by subsistence farming, fishing and trading. There is no grid electricity on the island, although a diesel mini-grid in the market provides lighting and facilities for battery charging. Generally people rely on kerosene lamps for lighting. PSL, which had been working on other development projects in the region, saw the need to find out what local women wanted to improve their situation. Following a survey of local households, they set up CEWDC. Since September 1999, the cooperative has assembled and sold SHS to over 360 homes, as well as supplying NGOs in other parts of Bangladesh, and has run a battery charging service for poorer families using both photovoltaic and diesel chargers.