As the situation in Northern Syria worsens, and people’s houses are left without electricity, there is an increase in complaints which led to the search for alternative means to generate electricity.
Some people started buying only one small generator to satisfy the needs of only one individual household. Others couldn’t afford that, so the House of Co-operatives offered to help them by importing big power generators that can provide electricity for more than 200 houses.
Jiyan power generator
One of the power generator co-operatives in Qamishlo is Jiyan Co-operative. The generator started work a year and two months ago [September 2017]. It has more than 150 members, and the price for a share is 25,000 SYP [around £40]. The project cost 7,400,000 SYP [around £11,500]. The House of Co-operatives donated a fair amount of the cost. The generator needed other equipment in order to operate, including a tablet which cost 400,000 SYP [£620], a battery that cost 100,000 SYP [£155], some cables and other items.
The capacity of the generator is 52 amperes. It works for 9 hours, from 9am to 10am, and then from 4pm to 12am. Each household pays 1,300 SYP [£2] per ampere. The project is making profits and the debt is being cleared slowly by paying interest every month.
More power generator co-operatives are being formed, especially in villages which need electricity.
