May 2009 Archives

As we complete our last macro-solar panel installation I'm thrilled to annouce that 19 schools will soon have reliable, efficient access to electricity thanks to SolarAid!

There are 10 schools in the Iringa region, 3 in the coastal area north of Dar es Salaam and the remaining in the south, covering most of the country.

All of those schools are off-grid. Some had been powered by cost-intensive generators that often broke down, others used kerosene lamps for lighting and coal and wood for cooking. Few with no access to any kind of lighting at all.

With every installation completion there is a village celebration.

The villagers and school chilren come together in singing and dancing to express gratitude and joy. The tangible effects of solar power and the difference it can make to their every day lives is now impressively clear.

The ceremony is their way of saying 'thank you' and inaugurating their improved facilities. This enthusiasm always makes me smile inside and out, but this week I was also given a chicken!

I was advised to take the long way home that night to avoid kidnapping. Driving in my beaten up little car through the rain and muddy terrain, I could hear the chicken clucking away and flying around at every dirt road bump, making my heart jump.

I felt a great sense of achievement and pride in SolarAid's work that day. Onwards and upwards- there's still plenty of work to do. Please support us and help SolarAid bring solar to more schools in Tanzania.

Thank you,

Mason
Country Operations Manager,
SolarAid Tanzania