Solar for Igoda Primary School

Last month, during my recent trip to the region, the first SolarAid Tanzania solar system was installed on the Igoda Primary School. The Headmaster led a lighting ceremony with singing, dancing and speeches by all the senior members of the community.

Igoda Primary School
The school is in a remote region of the Tanzanian highlands. Sitting at 2,000 feet above sea level, it serves a rural community with over 500 children attending daily. Sadly, many of these children have been touched by HIV and AIDS. The school has over 200 children who have either lost one or both parents. Being far away from the grid, the school had no access to electricity.

Solar for children
The 150 watt system was installed on the roof by two contractors from a Tanzania solar company. The system will provide power for 13 lights spread across the classrooms and the Headmasters Office. The light will be used by the children to do their homework after school and for teachers to do their work.

Some of the children of Igoda Primary School

Sustainability
With the support of a SolarAid volunteer, the school has developed an ambitious income-generating strategy. Before the solar system, the 6000 mobile phone owners in the area walked 30 minutes or more to charge their mobile phone! When not used for lighting, the system will be able to charge 15 mobile phones. Each charge will earn the school 500Ksh (25p). This means that soon they will have paid back the 10% to SolarAid and will start generating income to save for maintenance.

A solar future?
Already the Community Chairman and Headmaster know that they want a larger solar system and one that can provide light for the houses of the teachers. We talked about how this could be possible with the money generated from charging mobile phones.

There is a community centre is being built next to the school- where all local meetings and elections will take place. Perhaps they too will look to solar, once they see how the power of the sun can have such a positive impact.

Celebration. A song of thanks from the children and teachers of Igoda Primary School.

During the opening ceremony at the school, the teachers and children sang a song "asante" meaning thank you. Thank you for your support.

Igoda is just one of the 2,500 schools in Tanzania, with your help we can reach even more. Please support us.

Thank you,
Ruth