POIDIER Kiribati

18th January 2022: Our POIDIER team comprising of project manager, project demonstration and technical officer,enviromental officer, and the local consultant embark on a journey to Marakei to conduct the Environmental Social Management Plan (ESMP). We are grateful to complete this initiatives successfully on Marakei before lockdown.

8th December 2021- POIDIER project board meeting was held at the MISE board room. POIDIER steering committee is the high level governing body comprising of differrent stakeholders from the Government ministries including SOE, DBK and UNDP providing guidance, oversight, recommendation and decision making on the project budget, annual work plan and other related project activities.

This was the first time for the steering committee to meet this year. It was attended by representatives of the Office of Beretitenti, Ministry of Land and Agricultural Development, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy, Development Bank of Kiribati, Kiribati Green Energy Solution and counterparts from UNDP Fiji through a shared zoom link.

The annual progress and milestones of the project were discussed including the annual work plan and budget for the next year 2022 and other important activities that require the board member's endorsement and attention.

Today our poidier team have returned from Butaritari island after spending a 2 weeks outreach mission to Makin and Butaritari island. During their visit to Makin and Butaritari island they have consulted the island councils, and the local people on the project objectives and other related activities. They also reviewed the MoU and discussed the way forward to support the island council to develop it own energy plan and to utilize the project grants that could support the development of the renewable and energy efficiency initiatives on the outer islands. The technical assessment on the solar pv grid as well as training solar mamas and papas on the solar home system, solar productive uses, energy efficiency applications and ee cook stoves was also achieved. The island councils and local people on Makin and Butaritari are now looking forward for the implementation of solar pv grid on their islands.

The Poidier team has completed their outreach mission to Makin island for the development of outer island solar electrification. Part of the mission is to conduct site survey and technical assessment on the solar PV grid system, consult the island council and local people on the project objectives, training solar mamas and papas, identify the solar pv grid site and other related activities. After Makin they visited Butaritari island via boat to conduct similar activities before they return to Tarawa on the 26th November 2021.

A meeting between the Project Director, EPU engineers, KGES officers and Poidier team was held at KGES boardroom today at 9.00 am. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the outcome of the mission to Marakei and Abaiang island that was conducted a few months ago. Key findings from the onsite technical assessment and data collected was presented, reviewed and analysed by the team to determine the sizing and capacity of the solar pv grid for each demo site, type of port structure required, costing and design etc. The meeting was beneficial for the team as it will help them improve their strategies for their next mission to Makin and Butaritari anticipated this week and others.

Happy 76th Aniversary of the United Nations. UN funded projects including POIDIER showcase their products/items/ pamphlets etc during the ceremony on the 25th October 2021.

Today 3rd October 2021, the Poidier mission team departed Tarawa at 1.30 pm and arrived safely at Abaiang island at 3.20 pm. At 5.00 pm a courtesy meeting was conducted with Abaiang Mayor and her team; the island Clerk and the Island Development officer. The POIDIER team delivered a presentation about the overview and scope of the project including its objectives and its activities to be carried out on Abaiang during this visit. They also review the MoU including clarification on the tentative mission program, confirm the names of participants recruited from each village for the solar mamas and papas training and discuss further supports required during the implementation of each project activity, etc. Overall, the Mayor in her remarks was delighted to know about the Poidier solar grid initiatives that will benefit the local people and support the development of Abaiang in different ways. She highlighted that the project will not only support the development but also reduce expenses on fossil fuel which is also a burden of the island council. Tomorrow will be a busy day for the mission team.

The final preparation meeting was taken place at the MISE boardroom between the mission team and the Project Director before the visit to the project demo site on October 3rd. The outreach mission will cover technical assessment on the solar grid, feasibility study for boarding school solar grid, training solar mamas and solar papas on sizing, designing, and maintaining the solar home system, ee cookstoves, and other productive uses, roadshow, and water assessment for agricultural. The Project Director in his remarks encourages the mission team to use their time wisely during their visit and to make sure to complete their task and submit their report within the timeline. The team goes through the tentative mission program again and finalizes their activities to ensure they are in the same direction while outreaching the project demo site in Abaiang.

Preparation meeting between the POIDIER team, KGES, Water Unit and Energy have taken place at MISE boardroom. The discussion is to clarify the teams on the following tasks: consultation with island council, the techinical assessment on solar grid for the junior secondary school and main clinic, feasibility study on a solar grid for two boarding schools namely Morikao and Tabuiroa high school, water assessment for algricultural, roadshow and awareness activities, training on solar home system and ee cook stoves. Deadline for submission of reporting and findings from the mission was also discussed. This is to ensure the team fully understand their tasks and responsibility and to prepare what is needed before the trip to Abaiang island which is anticipated before end of September or early October 2021.