SunnyKathy in Schools

The Hill fundraising photo - thank you on Flickr.This is the...

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:33:19 +0300

The Hill fundraising photo - thank you on Flickr.

This is the thank you card and certificate which we just sent to Georgia, a student at The Hill Primary School in Reading who has raised £16 for SolarAid. She did this by selling sunflowers to her neighbours that she grew in her garden. This is an extra special £16, because it is one of the many ways the wider community at The Hill Primary got behind their goal to help a school in Zambia afford solar panels to light their classrooms. This means they don’t have to rely on dirty, dangerous and expensive kerosene to give their students a chance to study for a better future.

Amazingly, The Hill has raised over £1000 for SolarAid to support this school in Zambia, and they have only managed this because so many individuals took it upon themselves to fundraise. And we think that is really special, which is why we will thank each and every one who has played a part, however large or small the amount raised. These individuals got involved because they are passionate about children in Africa getting a chance to improve their future through clean, safe, reliable light; and that deserves thanks.

So thank you, Georgia, for selling sunflowers.

To find out more visit www.solar-aid.org/lighterlearning

Sean Conway has just returned from a round-the-world cycle trip,...

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:27:00 +0300

Sean Conway has just returned from a round-the-world cycle trip, raising money and awareness for SolarAid. Originally attempting a world record, averaging 180 miles a day, he was hit by a truck in America travelling at 55mph and fractured his back. Where most people would take that as a sign (or excuse?) to stop, Sean didn’t. Not only did he continue his ride, he managed to maintain an epic 140 miles a day average.

Having been a commuter cyclist for the last couple of years, those distances are so huge I can’t fully comprehend them. Sean knew he wouldn’t be able to realistically beat the record, so instead his focus shifted to his fundraising and awareness-raising of SolarAid. And on his return, he spoke about how this focus kept him going through some of the toughest challenges he’s ever faced. Just goes to show how much of a motivator it can be to align yourself to something bigger, something that makes a difference.

For all the facts and stats of Sean’s trip click here: http://cyclingtheearth.co.uk/my-blog/2012/07/cycling-the-world-in-figures/

Sean is raising money for SolarAid’s work in Zambia. Click here to support: http://www.justgiving.com/bike12

This is a letter from Amina, a 9-year-old student from a London...

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:29:35 +0300

This is a letter from Amina, a 9-year-old student from a London primary school. She wrote to us at SolarAid, along with the rest of her class, asking us to help their link school in Sierra Leone with solar lights. Persuasive language and passion aplenty, the students have challenged our BHAG and reminded us of our need to tackle kerosene use across the whole of Africa.

For the full story click here.

Check out my colleague Victor catching up on his emails in the...

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:54:29 +0300

Check out my colleague Victor catching up on his emails in the solar roller van while we were waiting to get access to one of SunnyMoney’s solarised schools. When you’re out on the road all day every day, emails are hard to keep on top of! Now that’s dedication.

Solar for education?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:35:00 +0300

Meet Margaret.

Margaret is the director of Legacy School in Narok. It is one of the best performing schools in the county. It is also a private school (see here for an interesting article on the rise of private schools in the developing world: econ.st/HueqwX). She worked in the education authority in Narok for 20 years, helping to set up most of the schools in the county, before starting Liberty School.

Margaret has bought a number of solar products from SunnyMoney since the team arrived in Narok earlier this year. All of them have been sent to her mother in her home village. Margaret’s mother looks after two of her grandchildren. Initially the only light she sent was a Sunlite which has a 5W panel and one bright bulb. This was the only light in the village apart from kerosene lamps. The light attracted other family members and friends who live in the village to come over at night to benefit from the clean safe light. This was a problem for the two children because they needed to study, but couldn’t because of the noise. They would either not study at all, or still use kerosene lamps in another room. Hence Margaret sent a Sunlite 2 to her mother, so they now have 3 bulbs in the house – one in the living room for socialising, one in the kitchen for cooking, and one in the bedroom for studying.

Margaret went on to discuss the common result of having one light in a house – the father will use it, meaning the children cannot study with it. Hence while she approves of organisations which are giving away lamps to students, she believes they need to give out two because otherwise the students will not benefit from the light. Similarly, when SunnyMoney sells lamps in the student light campaign she believes we should be aiming to get more than one into each household. This is yet another issue for us to consider here at SolarAid, an important one. The impact of solar on education is difficult to measure even at school level, but home-use of study lamps is a major monitoring and evaluation challenge. More info on this will be available on SolarAid’s new website, coming soon.

Personally, I think the bottom line is to get more solar into rural communities. Whether it starts with one light, or ten, it doesn’t take long for people to see the real benefits of this technology.

This is Mr Sopea, Headteacher of Songoro Primary School in...

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:34:02 +0300

This is Mr Sopea, Headteacher of Songoro Primary School in Narok, Kenya, testing out an s1 light outside. He was very impressed with how bright it was - as was I!

I was lucky enough to spend a day watching the Nairobi Annual...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:29:26 +0300

I was lucky enough to spend a day watching the Nairobi Annual drama festival. 27 schools competed for places at the National finals next month. It was incredible! Such talented young students performed a variety of dances, dramas, mimes and narratives. I was glad I didn’t have to choose between them!

Oloikarere Primary feels the power of the sun

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:37:17 +0300

When we visited Oloikarere Primary school in Narok county, we had to wait more than two hours for the Headteacher and students to arrive. They had been to a games tournament at a nearby school. When I say nearby, it was 8km away. And they had to walk. So after a day of classes, the students had walked 16km and played sports for several hours. And yet they still managed to give us a wonderfully warm welcome. It was certainly worth the wait.

Oloikarere Primary School is in the Suswa Zone of Narok County, Kenya. The school has 50 girls who board and 200 boys who are day-schoolers. The school has a 15W solar system installed in two classrooms. The school community and parents raised the necessary funds to purchase the system, and it was an investment which is already reaping rewards. “Parents have already seen the benefits. They are very happy not to be paying for paraffin. The students are also very happy and excited.”

Mr Mahoy and the SunnyMoney team in one of the solar classrooms

Mr Mahoy knew that he wanted solar for his school. Some months before he had bought a solar lamp from one of the petrol stations near the school, and quickly saw the potential for solar on a bigger scale. When the SunnyMoney team arrived in Narok, he immediately set about gathering the funds.

Before this, there was no electricity. The school would provide paraffin for the students but it was very expensive: “We would use roughly 10 litres per week, and you know, sometimes the money was not there. Solar is there 24 hours. It has saved us lots of money”.

Students studying under the solar charged lights

Health-wise, solar has made a big difference to the students. Kerosene produces harmful gases which affect their eyes. “With solar power, there is no irritation and pupils are healthier”. There is also no smoke to get into their lungs. Plus solar is much safer. “Paraffin causes accidents. If the matchbox is used carelessly by the pupils, they might burn.”

Educational performance has already improved after one term. As it is only the girls who use the solar-lit classrooms (because they are boarders), for the first time in school history some of the girls got better marks than the boys.

The system is currently meeting their needs because the girls can study at night and in the early morning. However he is already planning to buy more systems. “I would like one for the girl’s dormitory. Also for my office – you can see, here I am, the Headmaster, sitting in the dark!” However his plans will have to wait some time until the parents and the school can afford it.

Mr Mahoy using a solar lamp to work in his office

"My name is Faith Ikayo, from Ocharro location in Naork County, Kenya. I’ve bought a solar lamp..."

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:18:06 +0300

“My name is Faith Ikayo, from Ocharro location in Naork County, Kenya. I’ve bought a solar lamp called s10 which will help my children in reading longer hours at night with a cleaner energy than kerosene. Asante sana.”

- Faith Ikayo on why she bought a solar lamp

Half of the SunnyMoney schools team with the amazing solar...

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:29:08 +0300

Half of the SunnyMoney schools team with the amazing solar roller (LtoR): Victor, Elizabeth and Paul

Highlights of Education Day for 16 Narok schools

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:25:21 +0300

I spent the day with half of the SunnyMoney schools team at an education day for the surrounding schools. The team have spent the last 6 weeks working with schools in Narok county to educate their students about solar power and give them access to safe, cheap, reliable solar products. Here are some photo highlights.

Elizabeth telling the students about SunnyMoney and their solar products

Elizabeth demonstrating the d-light s10

Me trying my best to convince these secondary students about solar.

The parents coming along to have a look at the products, following their children asking them to buy one

The younger students coming to have a look.

Photos from Nairobi Sunny Schools

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:34:05 +0300

Photos from Nairobi Sunny Schools:

Have updated the Sunny Schools flickr account with photos from visits to our two pilot schools in Nairobi - check them out!

"The climate here is changing. This place, it is so dry. These riverbeds are dry now; even 10 years..."

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:31:58 +0300

“The climate here is changing. This place, it is so dry. These riverbeds are dry now; even 10 years ago the rivers were here all year round. Now they are only here in the rainy season.”

- Maasai District Education Officer, Narok County, Kenya

The Sunny Schools teachers, Nairobi

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:48:29 +0300

Meet our Sunny Schools super-star team! From left to right:

Pamela (Westlands), Victor (SolarAid), Lucy (Westlands), Lillian (Ngunyumu), Hannington (Westlands) [NB Justus from Ngunyumu was unable to attend]

On Saturday the teachers kindly gave up some of their weekend to meet with Victor and I to discuss the progress of the project and suggested recommendations for improvements. Overall, they have been very pleased with the programme, particularly the different dimension and perspective the pupils are gaining about topics they study in Social Studies class. The reinforcement is beneficial for their learning, whilst the structure allows greater freedom for the pupils to direct their own learning and be more creative. Westlands primary pupils in particular were able to explore their school library for resources and look up information on their parents’computers at home.

One big learning from the teachers has been the lack of resources available to the schools for clubs. One teacher from Ngunyumu, Lillian, even brought in crayons from home so that her students could have something to colour with. They are all hopeful that the next version of the programme will take this into account. In addition, they all spoke passionately about the positive response to solar, from both parents and pupils. All are hopeful that their students will eventually be able to afford solar lamps, especially in Ngunyumu where students are still using kerosene at home to study.

Overall the visits have been inspirational, seeing the teachers go above and beyond their regular duties to bring these vital subjects to life for their students. In addition, the positive excitement the pupils showed demonstrates how much they enjoy learning about the world around them, and particularly how to care for their planet.

So a huge thank you to the fantastic Sunny Schools Kenya team. And here’s to the next Sunny Schools step.. Watch this space!

Sunny Schools shining in Nairobi

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:46:13 +0300

Most of last week was spent with schools in Nairobi, learning how Sunny Schools has been implemented in our two pilot schools, speaking to the pupils about their experiences and meeting with the teachers to discuss lessons learnt and future improvements.

Wednesday was spent visiting Westlands Primary where teachers Lucy, Pamela and Hannington run an after-school club for up to 50 pupils each week. The students impressed us immensely with their understanding of climate change, and their ideas for reducing their impact on the environment. They had prepared poems, skits, readings and posters.

Walking amongst the pupils, it was easy to feel their enthusiasm for the subject and desire to learn more. They questioned me thoroughly about the UK and what students there were doing to help fight climate change. They were particularly delighted to receive work from their partner school in the UK, Nelson Primary, and are preparing replies for the students in London.

Ngunyumu Primary (above) is in a very different part of Nairobi, alongside the city’s biggest rubbish dump (like a city in itself, but made of rubbish) in the Korogocho slum. The school has no electricity and neither do the pupils in their homes.

However, that hasn’t stopped the pupils learning about climate change. Overcoming their initial shyness, they were able to talk confidently about the Sunny Schools topics (with a little encouragement from their teacher Justus). They also questioned me about the UK and students there. They were thrilled to look over the posters and book from their partner school in London, Jubilee Primary (below).

Students at Ngunyumu Primary School, Nairobi, at Sunny Schools...

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:40:08 +0300

Students at Ngunyumu Primary School, Nairobi, at Sunny Schools club. They were thrilled to receive the first pieces of work from their partner Sunny School in the UK, Jubilee Primary, London.

Hult students from NYU Abu Dhabi with Mr Odhiambo

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:54:07 +0300

Hult students from NYU Abu Dhabi with Mr Odhiambo

Inkoirienito Primary School

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:19:46 +0300

After a looong and bumpy drive through Maasai land, we reached Inkoirienito Primary, a school with 285 students from classes 3-8. We met with the Senior teacher, Mr Odhiambo. He explained how the school was run, with stakeholders from throughout the school and community involved.

The students listen to radio broadcasts each week for different lessons. Mr Odhiambo was keen for us to start selling solar radios as the school has to buy low quality batteries from the nearest town (10km away by dirt track).

He explained how the students are set homework from a young age, but it is difficult for many students to complete it because they do not have light at home. Hence why he is so keen for SunnyMoney to come and visit the school!

We were taken to the classroom where students from class 4-8 squashed in to hear all about SunnyMoney’s solar lamps. Elizabeth (SunnyMoney sales rep) demonstrated the d-light s1 and s10 and, together with the school staff, explained the long-term benefits of solar lighting compared to kerosene and burning wood for light. The students will go home to their parents and ask if they can buy one next time SunnyMoney visit the school.

The students of the school were thrilled to meet the university students visiting from the Hult Global Case Challenge, especially as one of them, Josef, is Kenyan. He is studying at NYU Abu Dhabi and gave the young pupils an inspiring talk about how he got to where he is today. After the demo finished, he was mobbed by students wanting to find out more and chat to him about his experiences, especially the class 8 students.

A world of difference

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:36:11 +0300

Yesterday we drove through the Rift Valley to visit a Maasai school SolarAid are working with to help their students access solar lights. Our driver had a fantastic hat on - check it out!

In case you can’t read it, the hat says: “World of Difference. It starts with me!” It was particularly poignant to see this hat in Kenya as we were lucky enough to have a fantastic World of Difference volunteer sent out to Kenya for 6 months back in 2009-10. Miguel was hugely influential in setting up such a strong programme here.

We are also lucky to have yet another World of Difference volunteer with us right now in the London office. Daniel is helping with our logistics and we are extremely grateful to have his expertise!

View over the Rift Valley on our way to visit a school in the...

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:34:21 +0300

View over the Rift Valley on our way to visit a school in the Maasai region of Narok