Solar Grannies” in the Workshop
Installing a Solar Panel in a House |
In 1994 an estimated 800,000 people in the small east African nation of Rwanda were mass murdered over the course of approximately 100 days from early April to mid-July. According to Human Rights Watch overall estimates of the total death toll in the civil war ranged between 500,000 and 1,000,000 representing as much as 20% of the country’s population.
RUGO has been raising money for twelve years to fund reconstruction projects in Rwanda after that horrific genocide. Rwanda is dark for 12 hours each day from about six each evening. The social, productive and educational impact for villages that have no electricity is significant. Karambi is such a village where studying and working in the evening is difficult and venturing outside can be hazardous. Kerosene lamps are the only source of light which are dangerous and easily causes fires. Since 2011 RUGO has raised over £30,000 to provide solar power to 110 homes in the village of Karambi which makes the village safer and more productive and allow the children and families to work in the evenings. We have worked together with the world famous educational innovator Bunker Roy, founder of the Barefoot College in India and our local partner in Rwanda is the Rwanda Women’s Network. “Solar Grannies” Claudine, Dative and Cecile (shown on the right) were chosen by Bunker Roy and the Karambi villagers to spend six months at the Barefoot College in India being trained to assemble and install a solar panel for each house, two lights in the home and a point to charge both a portable lantern and the invaluable mobile phone. The “Solar Grannies”, chosen for their commitment to the future of their village, maintain the equipment and are paid by the villagers from the savings in Kerosene fuel. The travel and training for the “Grannies” was funded by the Indian Government with RUGO funded the equipment. Funds raised to date have seen the succesful implementation of solar power at the end of 2013 to the village of Karambi with the provision of a workshop for storage, repairs and maintenance. To download an overview of the project click here We are now raising further funds to extend the workshop to allow the Karambi “solar Grannies” to train other ladies from other villages in Rwanda who have no electricity and additional funds for equipment to provode solar power to other villages. One such village has been identified. If you are in the UK you can increase any donation if you qualify for Gift Aid. If you are unsure if you qualify to give via Gift Aid then click here. |
Passports and Visas – Ready to Go!
At Kigali airport leaving for India
Installing Lighting in a Home |
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