Projects proposals are invited which will support SACECS’s mandate.

SACECS operates on funding from Eskom Research (R 2.2 million in 2001) based on the centre’s requirements to support projects in the fields of Healthcare, Water and Sanitation and Energy services. It aims to sustain and expand its activities through partnering with organisations, which have like-minded objectives, and from income generated through interventions by SACECS.

Projects proposals should include one or more of the following categories

• Needs Analyses To verify the need for certain interventions

• Evaluation projects To ensure that the technology is appropriate

• Demonstration projects To ensure that the technology is effective in practice

• Awareness courses and conferences

• To ensure that appropriate people are informed of the technology

• Training courses To create sufficient understanding related to technologies

• Centres of expertise To support the technologies

Where projects are proposed that will benefit certain parties, some agreement is required which distributes the benefits equitably. For example a technology vendor would be expected to supply the technologies to be evaluated and where a technology is being demonstrated, additional financial input would be required:

• Demonstrate that the technology works

• Ensure that the technology matches with the needs of the community

• Determine skills transfer mechanism for operators of renewable and alternative energy technologies

• Determine the parameters for successful implementation

• Manage the impact on the environment, traditional and cultural values