Impact Spotlight

Reducing 400 homes’ dependence on using wood for fuel

Improved healthcare outcomes and maternal mortality rates in seven villages

Supporting the conservation of 400,000 acres of cloud rainforest

About

Located on Papua New Guinea's Huon Peninsula, the Yopno-Uruwa-Som (YUS) Conservation Area is an extensive 162,683-hectare Indigenous-owned wildlife conservation reserve. The area is home to about 15,000 people living in 50 remote mountain villages.

For more than 25 years, the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) has partnered with the YUS communities, offering technical and operational support to help them manage their lands and resources sustainably. Solar electrification has been a top priority for the communities here for several years, given the villages' remoteness, lack of access to grid power, and their sole dependence on wood fires for light.

The program is actively involved in protecting the endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo and its habitat. By working in close association with rural communities in Papua New Guinea, the program has established the country's first and only nationally-recognized Conservation Area.

“Solar lighting has brought improvement to many aspects of our life. Teachers are seeing improved student performance because they can study at home. We are better organized as a community because we can meet in the evening when more people can participate. We’re seeing increased community involvement in local conservation efforts, and fewer protected area bylaw violations. We look forward to seeing these benefits reaching more villages across YUS!
”

— Steven Fononge, Community Conservation Officer

HF Partnership

Building on initial HF funding to solarize homes across seven villages, the Honnold Foundation is renewing its partnership with the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program to equip the remainder of the 350 homes in the YUS area with solar systems. Community installs will include solar street lights and mini-grid systems to provide light, electricity, and security for community gathering places and pathways. Community members have begun training to take over the operation and maintenance of the solar equipment following initial installations in 2022.