"The International
President’s appeal will bring sunshine into the lives of everyone in a
community, in order that they can thrive, be educated and be well fed; using
sustainable solar power. Imagine living with no light switch and no means of
cooking for your family, because where you live is running out of basic
essentials like firewood. Why would anyone want to gather firewood, day after
day; many fearing the prospect of being subjected to violence or even rape. These issues are fundamental to us all. Therefore, each
and every Soroptimist should deny themselves something on December 10^th
that brings them joy and happiness and instead donate the money to the appeal,
See Solar, Cook Solar".  International President, Ann Garvie.

  

 

Solar Musasa

SI
Dunfermline has been publish by President Ann Garvie to submit a project plan
to provide solar panels and solar cookers to Musasa Primary School, located in
the Rwenzori mountain range in rural Western Uganda.  The project, now in development, will be
funded through President Ann Garvie’s 2013 – 2015, December 10th Appeals and
Soroptimist International  Federation Club initiatives, for ‘See Solar, Cook
Solar’.  It is hoped that this project
will be implemented by Spring 2015.

Photograph: Musasa school children 

Musasa
Primary School is located in the Rwenzori mountain range in rural Western Uganda.
 There are a total of 740 beneficiaries
at the school; the majority of pupils live in very simple mud and wattle
houses on steep slopes. Unlike schools in the UK where children in primary
school leave at age 11, the children and young people attending Musasa Primary
School leave at about age 15, the age when British children would be sitting
standard grades. Presently due to poor resources few pupils can achieve
‘division 1 grade’ which allows students to move to higher education. The senior
teacher has indicated that normally only town or private school pupils can
obtain grade 1 and that solar power should enable her pupils to have a better
chance, as it will power laptops for the pupils to use.

 

The area has
had no electricity until recent months when the Government has put a line down
the valley, however the school is not connected nor is it likely to be in the
foreseeable future. In the evenings families are dependent on the use of
paraffin lamps.  The provision of solar
panels would enable lights and computers to be used for evening study at school;
ensuring a safer environment.

 

 

Photograph: Musasa school children

Provision of
solar cookers for the school will ensure that the local protected forests will
not be depleted of wood for cooking fires, ensuring a more economical and
environmentally sustainable alternative to the traditional methods.  Currently fuel is being purchased by the school, using funds which could be used for educational activities. It is hoped that ‘Solar
Musasa’ will provide:

•             Solar panels to power computers and
lights

•             Community solar cookers to service pupils
and staff 

SI Dunfermline has an existing
relationship with the Musasa Primary School, having supported the school previously by providing 12 solar lights.This relationship will be further enhanced with direct support from President Ann’s appeal ‘See Solar, Cook Solar’.

Solar Fiji

In Fiji, ‘See
Solar, Cook Solar’ will fund solar cookers for women in rural and island
locations, providing a safer, more economical and environmentally sustainable
alternative to traditional kerosene stoves. This project, publish by President
Ann Garvie is now underway and 9 cookers will be delivered and installed across
three sites, with between 50 and a 100 beneficiaries at each site. Each solar
cooker is suitable for 30 to 40 persons and can cook 19 kg of rice in 60
minutes. What an amazing statistic!

 

Photograph: Viti Levu and Vanua Levu

Three sites
were chosen and agreed upon by the Soroptimists of Fiji in consultation with Dr
Atul Raturi,  who is a renewable
energy expert engaged in solar projects in various locations in Fiji.  Dr Raturi supported the choice of three sites
based on his previous experience of the communities and locations.

The beneficiaries
are located on two islands: Viti levu and Vanua levu, Fiji. Two of the sites
are on Viti Levu. The first is a boarding house
for children and teachers for SDA Primary School in Nadroga has been chosen. This site has previously participated
in a solar light project and solar cookers would be time and environment
friendly, releasing staff for other duties and assisting markedly, in education
outcomes as a result of a healthier diet.

Photograph: SDA
Primary school in Nadroga

 

Hart Home – Tauvegavega, Ba, Viti
levu, Fiji, is to be the second beneficiary and provides homes for widows and
single parent households. These very vulnerable women have been involved in a
project to develop skills to facilitate employment and a ‘café’  has been established that supplies meals to
people working in the nearby businesses and the hospital. Solar cookers would
increase output and release the women to undertake further skill development
and literacy. This in turn would assist the children in their education.

 

Photograph: Solar Cooker

A
second boarding house and the third of the chosen beneficiaries, is a boarding
house for children and teachers of a primary school in Namalata/Waisa, Vanua
levu, Fiji.  Again this site is in a remote
location, only accessed by a 4/5 hour boat journey or air flight and will bring
about wide spread benefits to the children, staff and impact positively on both
health and education. The three selected sites have a combined 250 estimated
beneficiaries.

President Ann is particularly grateful that due to the fantastic support shown for her appeal, an extension
to the project is also proposed and SISWP has been invited to submit a plan that
would provide solar panels for up to 10 computers at one of the three chosen
sites.  Once approval is received it is
hoped that the solar panels will be installed in conjunction with the solar
cookers, therefore providing good value for money and time.

 

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly 68th Session proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015).

In proclaiming an International Year focusing on the topic of light science and its applications, the United Nations has recognized the importance of raising global awareness about how light-based technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to global challenges in energy, education, agriculture and health. Light plays a vital role in our daily lives and is an imperative cross-cutting discipline of science in the 21st century. It has revolutionized medicine, opened up international communication via the Internet, and continues to be central to linking cultural, economic and political aspects of the global society. 

Read more here.