Zambia Community Centres Project

In Zambia there’s a pressing need to provide a minimum of energy for poor families. Energy options are limited to kerosene and candles for lighting and wood for cooking. Rising kerosene prices across the world mean that people living in rural Zambia are being forced to pay more and more each week to light their homes. This project will provide people with affordable, sustainable and clean energy options, reducing reliance on CO2 emitting fuels such as kerosene and disposable batteries.

The Solution

Solar-Aid will facilitate the installation of solar PV systems onto 100 schools, community centres and health clinics. The end users will be trained to manage and maintain the systems and also to use the system to generate an income which will help ensure the long term life of the system.

Solar-Aid will also train people to build solar chargers which can power radios, solar mobile phones and solar lamps. Successful trainees will receive business planning and marketing support that will help them set up self sustaining, income generating solar enterprises. The microsolar products will be marketed and sold to rural populations. Solar powered goods will benefit customers by saving on the costs of buying kerosene and batteries.

Outcomes:

Reduced carbon emissions
Improved health for the most disadvantaged people
Improved community services (Schools, clinics and community centres)
Improved literacy through access to lighting
Income generation
Increased awareness and knowledge of solar power

Read the Project Blog here: http://solar-aid.org/project_zambia_community_centres/