August 2009 Archives

It is with great sadness that SolarAid Tanzania announces the devastating news of a fatal fire that struck at Idodi Secondary School in Iringa on 22 August.

Over the weekend, a young student at Idodi was up late studying in her dormitory. The candle by her bedside - her only available light- was accidentally knocked over, catching fire to the mattress and tragically spreading quickly through the entire dormitory block, killing 12 young girls and injuring 20 others.

SolarAid knows Idodi School well. We installed a solar system on the main building in June of this year, and the Headmaster of the school, Mr Raymond Mlasu, has been one of our top partners. We at SolarAid Tanzania, along with the whole nation of Tanzania, grieve this tragic and preventable loss of life and commit to find sustainable solutions for solar lighting in school dormitories to avoid other preventable tragedies in the future.

Although the school underwent a solar installation earlier in the year, the dormitories were not covered by this. However, we felt it necessary to offer any assistance we could. Dennis Moshi (Tanzanian Technical Support), Beatrice Abad and myself contacted the school to offer all our condolences and support.

As the children will be accommodated in the classrooms and dining hall while funding is sought to rebuild the dormitory block, SolarAid Tanzania have donated a number of microsolar kits to allow the children to have light without the use of dangerous naked flames. The SolarAid team are due to meet with the Education Ministers and School Governors to negotiate the installation of a solar DC lighting system for the new dormitory.

Our hearts go out to all at Idodi and in the surrounding community.

Thank you,
Mason Huffine- Operations Manager, Tanzania

The national newspaper's headlines convey the tragic incident. On the left, SolarAid's letter of condolence to the school.

The children I recently met on the installation trip around Iringa have a strong desire for growth and improvement in their quality of life.

Curious about the western way of life, they are excited to learn about modern communication and technology, which they admire. They feel that to be better integrated into local community and the world at large they need access to lighting and communication.

The ability to read at night, listen to a radio or watch television (something which has been available to the developed world for almost a century now) will allow them to expand their horizons. Communication with friends and relatives through the use of mobile phones will enable their integration with the rest of the world. But all means for growth depend on technologies that of course require electricity.

While lifting a solar panel up onto the roof of a school, Dennis asked me: "Prof., do you think we are making a difference for this country and Africa by bringing solar energy to these schools in remote villages?"

As the sun shone onto the panel, I realised that ironically the wheels of a future renewable energy economy may be best started in developing world countries through humanitarian effort. Bringing renewable energy sources first to school children in poor countries is a basic expression of the highest humanitarian principle to help those in need. Development of renewable energy sources could be one of the efforts that bring the world together rather than dividing it.

The answer to Dennis's question came resoundingly when we officially handed the system over to the school's headmaster in front of the student assembly. The voice of jubilation from hundreds of students was a perfect expression of the gratitude for the gift of solar and more than that, for the opportunity to become more connected with the rest of humanity.

Slobodan