|
Solar energy for village schools |
Solar Energy at 200 Village Schools and Places of Assembly The organization is known for that its projects involve many people, and that the people who take part not only benefit from the project, but also themselves take responsibility for the production and the results of their work. In its application to the Foundation, Humana People to People writes: "The consumption of energy has increased at an accelerated rate, world wide, for decades. This has made a modern lifestyle possible in the developed world but the high energy consumption has its environmental dangers, since the way energy is produced today creates pollution which even threatens to upset the climate of our planet. Because access to electricity for everyone is a fundamental necessity in a modern society, African governments want to promote it, but do not at the moment have the resources to provide the entire population with an electric power supply. The energy consumption per capita in southern Africa is less than 10% of the average for industrialized countries. Increased availability of electricity is a precondition for developing the poor nations, but if the energy consumption per capita in the developing countries should rise to equal the energy consumption in western Europe, the result would be a very dramatic increase in global energy consumption. Such an increase would, if traditional energy fuels were used to produce the increase, result in pollution that would threaten the environment and the ecological balances that are so essential for our planet [...] [...] Therefore African countries should try to look elsewhere for ways to cover their energy need. With this in mind, an international conference was held in Zimbabwe in September 1995: "The International Solar Energy Society World Congress." The conference illustrated that the African countries would like to go forward with the use of solar energy, but lack the funds, expertise and people who are able to organize such innovative development." Solar energy is a known technology. One solar panel can daily deliver approximately four hours of light for two light bulbs, and in addition enough electricity for a small radio and other small electrical appliances. Solar panels have gradually become more and more commonplace - also in Africa. Humana People to People decided to participate in the promotion of solar energy, with concrete examples of how sustainable energy can be used in rural areas. The idea of the project is:
An important line in the work of Humana People to People is the Child Aid projects. Child Aid is the designation for a bouquet of activities with the joint objective of improving the conditions of the children of the poorest people in the world. According to the UNICEF report on the State of the World’s Children published in 1990, 100 million children would die due to reasons which with relatively small efforts could be prevented. On this background Humana People to People took the initiative to start 50 Child Aid projects in 1990. Some of the projects are now finalized - 25 projects are long term endeavors and are continuing. Today these projects have a direct impact on ½ million people. Humana People to People applied to the Foundation for funds to install 200 solar panels at village schools and places of assembly in connection to these Child Aid projects in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, Guinea Bissau and Malawi. The Description of the Project A project could only receive solar panels if there was a plan for how they would be used, and if the users were trained in how to maintain them. Humana People to People developed educational materials and posters, which were handed over together with the solar panels, so that the projects more efficiently could spread the knowledge about solar energy - how the solar panel works, what sustainable energy is, and why it is necessary to care for the earth and its resources. Here are some comments from the Child Aid projects which have received solar panels: DAPP Child Aid, Chiradzulu, Malawi: "In the evenings we have evening school for the grown ups. Around 60 adults who take part in English lessons, mathematics lessons, and other important lessons inside our two preschools have been registered. In two other preschools we cannot have evening lessons yet, because the teachers live too far away from the school." "The solar panels are being checked every Monday." DAPP Child Aid, Kukwanisa, Zimbabwe: "Around 450 preschool children regularly listen to school programs and music in the radio." "Village meetings and teacher meetings can now be held in the evenings, and the teachers can prepare their work at night." DAPP Child Aid, Rushinga, Zimbabwe: DAPP Child Aid, Ombalantu, Namibia: "The teachers and the students have been telling every village about solar cells and about the protection of the environment, using this single solar panel as an example." The implementation of this project is typical for how Humana People to People works. There has to come a lot out of every situation, and every possibility. The solar panels were not just ordered and put up by a company. There was a number of decisions made on how to do it, and this has meant that many people have learnt a lot along the way. This shows that it is not always large sums of money which are necessary to make big differences. The contribution to the solar panels has succeeded in spreading the question of protecting the natural environment to 30.000 families, in bringing the workers at the projects new knowledge and skills, and in opening up completely new possibilities for the education of thousands of people.
|
Home |
|
Top The Foundation for
the Support of Humanitarian Purposes, for Promotion |