Problem definition
”A quality basic education better equips girls and boys with the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt healthy lifestyles, protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and take an active role in social, economic and political decision-making as they transition to adolescence and adulthood.
Educated adults are more likely to have fewer children, to be informed about appropriate child-rearing practices and to ensure that their children start school on time and are ready to learn.” -UNICEF 2011
Education enhances lives. A big issue in Tanzania is the fact that girls do not have access to a quality education. Instead they have to start working at home at an early age without the opportunity to play or go to school. Deeply rooted inequalities condemn the girls to a life without education and a life of missed opportunities. Education should be a fundamental human right that every child should be entitled to. It is also proved that education for girls helps pave the way to a successful and productive future for the society. Education enlightens girls of their rights and gives them knowledge about health and sexual diseases like HIV/AIDS. Educated girls are also more likely to get married later and have fewer children. In addition, it is also more likely that educated women ensure that their children will get a quality education.
The all-girls boarding school and the cooperation with Mavuno Project
The Lightning project, in cooperation with Mavuno Projecs, was conveyed through a former EWB member, Caroline Nilsson. Caroline has experience from voluntary work and has among other things been working with water tanks project in Karagwe district. Today she is working as an energy consultant. The construction of the all-girls boarding school is Mavuno Project’s largest project and INUG Linköping is responsible to create an electrical solution for the residential accommodation. Initially, batteries will be used to store the electricity, but it is desirable to in the future connect the system to the state electricity grid.
The lighting project 2010/11
The lighting project 2011/12 is a continuation of The lighting project 2010/11 that was launched last year with the purpose to install an electrical system to the four building which were constitute the residential homes of the boarding school. In the end it turned out that only one of these houses were finished enough to start the installation, a disabled house, and that the school now will have room for lots more girls then what was sad in the initial plan. Our travellers has completed the disabled house and also compiled what and how it has been done to make it easier for this years project to get started and also find material on site. So The lighting project this year is to find a way to create a larger and more powerful system that could supply all of those rooms with electricity.
Purpose
The lighting projects purpose is to create a possibility for girls in Chonyonyo in Tanzania to get a quality education by provide their residential homes with power enough to read after nightfall. The electricalsystem is supposed to have a minimal impact on the environment and we will create conditions to maintain the system by involve locals during the construction and installation.
Goals
A complete, working electrical system will be installed at the boarding school in Chonyonyo during the summer of 2012. The system will also be prepared to be installed to the state electricity grid. Locals are going to participate during the construction to get acknowledgement about the system and how to repair potential damages. There will also be written manuals about function but also why the project has decided use the chosed components. Review and investigation that are in line with the conducted studies of future project will also be carried out. The idea is to launch a finished proposal, formed together with Mavuno project, design to be the basis of next years Tanzania project.
Execution
During the academic year 2011/12, The lighting project will produced a developed plan about what to do and how to do it. The project will also work to establish contact with collaborative partners that would like to support the work to create a cost efficient plan. During summer of 2012, travellers chosen by EWB Linköping, will construct and install the system together with locals. It is importand that the work will be carried out to established an ownership feeling so that the travellers leaves the locals with a feeling that the system belongs to them, and that they have the knowledge to maintain and repair it, or alternatively have the channels to search and receive the information needed.
Follow-up
There are three key monitoring targets for The lighting project 2011/12. The first is to assure that there will be a responsible person on site with the skills to manage and maintain the system. Person-bound knowledge is always a risk and therefor there must also be pre-written manuals that will be passed on to the school to secure access to the information. The manual will also contain explanaition about why solar cells are chosen as an energy source and the look of the construction of the system, to encourage them to continue looking for solutions that ensure the promotion of economic and ecological sustainability. Responsible for the systems will also be able to turn to an expert to ask question about what is wrong and what has to be done. The last follow-up is to target is make sure that there is a finished proposal, presented working together with Mavuno project, which will form the basis of next years project.
