Kenya Works travels to a variety of schools facing all degrees of deprivations across Kenya. The impact of climate change on communities already experiencing extreme vulnerability is a global concern as the two crises of extreme poverty and climate change collide.
In June of 2021, the Kenya Works team set off to flood-ravaged Busia County to celebrate Day of the African Child with this hard-hit region and to provide Menstrual Hygiene empowerment education along with Makini Pad kits and Boxers for Boys. Ferried across former roadways in handmade wooden boats, the team learned that not only had the school lost roads and playgrounds to snake-infested waters, Kenya Works learned something even more precious was taken. The school had been without electricity for two years after submerged transformers were shut down by the power company.
School officials had been requesting alternate means of energy from their government representatives in order to serve this school of more than 600 students, but all fell on deaf ears in a county facing so many challenges.
The team suggested the school submit a proposal to Kenya Works to help them light up their school once again. Kenya Works received the below proposal, included here so you can read in their own words the description of the situation.
PROPOSAL FOR SOLAR SYSTEM INSTALLATION AT MUSOMA PRIMARY SCHOOL
Different territories around the globe have all felt the advanced effects of climate change. Far-ranging consequences of climate change impact all spheres of our lives. Human activities necessitate climate change which has caused destruction of property as well as deaths.
In Kenya, Busia County has been dogged with floods for quite some years now. Roads have been rendered impassable, destruction of crops and human settlements are some of the effects floods have had in the area. The area is prone to floods because of its close proximity to the Nzoia river.
On 16th June 2021, the Day of the African Child, Kenya Works team visited Musoma A.C. Primary school in Budalangi, Busia County to celebrate together with the children in the school and end period poverty by donating Makini Pads to the girls and not forgetting the boy child, each was given a pair of boxers.
Budalangi is located at the floodplain of Nzoia River and thus there’s increased runoff from degraded catchments hence causing floods. Schools and other social amenities around the area have it all to bear. Musoma primary is among the schools suffering so much due to the floods.
Musoma A.C Primary school is a Public Primary School located in Budalangi near Port Victoria Town, Budalangi Constituency in Busia County. Due to flooding, the school infrastructure has been submerged in water. Toilets, classrooms and even the playground have all been covered by water. The school is inaccessible by road. Both the teachers and the pupils have been forced to use locally made boats to access school. The boats carry teachers and the pupils to and from school.
They all navigate through the flooded grounds which is full of snakes and thus more hazardous to their wellbeing.
This has forced some of the learners and the headteacher to reside within the school. Learning in school has been disrupted by the flooded grounds. Electricity supply was cut off by the company to avert danger of electrocution.
Lack of electricity in the school has made running of day-to-day activities to be a nightmare. Right from (KNEC), photocopying, reading at night, visiting various sites to access learning materials, etc., all require electricity. Despite countless efforts to the concerned government ministry in charge of energy to find alternative source of power to enable ease running of the operations, it has all been futile.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The school is in dire need of solar panels to enable it to run day-to-day activities. With the current curricula-CBC; very little can be done without power, thus hampering the performance of pupils at school. Solar panel is an alternative source of power which will offer lighting to enable pupils’ do their personal study at night. The pupils are forced to use small D-lights lantern for their personal study which has negative effect on their eyes. A solar panel will: -
1. Aid in conducting ICT lessons efficiently.
2. conduct lessons in other subjects which require use of ICT materials.
3. conduct lessons when it is raining due to gloominess in class when it rains.
4. perform personal studies in the morning and in the evening.
5. Enhance security within the school surroundings.
6. Aid in utilization of the learning gadgets which were supplied by the Kenyan government and they have never been utilized. This will aid in improvement of literacy level among the learners hence the overall performance of the school will improve.
Generally, solar panel installation will aid in enabling ease learning and security in school thus will transform to good performance by the pupils in school.
Below is a summarized quotation of what the solar system will entail:
Solar system Particulars
I. Solar panel
II. Solar battery/accumulator
III. Cables
Budget.
NO. | ITEM & DESCRIPTION | AMOUNT (Ksh.) |
1 | Solar panel,6 pieces @ ksh. 15,000 | 90,000 |
2 | 200ah 12v. Batteries @ ksh.28,000 | 112,000 |
3 | 2kva inverter | 85,000 |
4 | Changer controller | 35,000 |
5 | Battery rack | 6,000 |
6 | Solar rack | 25,000 |
7 | Accessories | 25,000 |
8 | Labor | 50,000 |
| TOTAL | 428,000 Ksh. |