On school assessment

It's not always straightforward to select a school for macrosolar installations. There are several factors to consider. This is why the process includes several visits to the school and proof of community buy-in of the system. For example, look at the photo below:

Kisiwa Secondary School

This is Kisiwa Secondary School. There are several factors to evaluate before placing a solar system here. The school is remote which means that it has little chance of being connected to the grid in the near future. The lack of connection in the surrounding villages means there is high potential for earning income from electricity, the money of which can be invested in the maintenance of the system.

However, one downside is that the school itself is located some distance (about 500 metres) from the village, and considering the high snake population in the area (as I was told after traipsing through the ground in my flip flops) it is not placed conveniently for the community's use in the evening, therefore reducing the impact of the solar system on community members.

But then another benefit of selecting this school for macrosolar is that two girls' dormitories have recently been completed on the site. As secondary schools are few and far between in this region, girls are often required to travel long distances to school each day, sometimes in the dark. These dormitories will vastly reduce travel time, increase safety, and if SolarAid gets involved, will enable them to study in their dormitories at night!

As you can see, there are several factors to consider. This school is currently undergoing the application process.

SolarAid's vehicle, with some appropriate artwork on the tyre cover!

Finally, can you recognise the tyre cover in the picture above, from the SolarAid website? This was painted by one of the local Tinga Tinga artists outside of the Dar Es Salaam office!

More from me soon,
Courtney