A Meeting with Simon

Working with a local dean in Uganda has provided lots of insight to the use of solar panels in Uganda.

At my school one of the teachers knows a man who is a dean at the Archangel Michael Orthodox Secondary School in Uganda. I had the opportunity to interview him and learn about how solar panels really work in Uganda. This meeting wa extremely beneficial and provided a lot of important information I needed to complete my goal of buying a solar panel for a family in his village.

"Kids can now read at night, they read for 3 hours sometimes. They also read early in morning when it is still dark and love it."

Quick Notes from the meeting

- Simon installed it himself with the help of specialist

- His school runs on panels

- It has four big panels =400 watts

- The energy is used for lighting, printer, laptops, and television

- Provided a big change having panels

- The school secretaries are able to type and print exams, more economic for school and self fulfilling; rewarding to have the ability to create and administer tests without using outside help

- Having panels allows vulnerable children to have the opportunity to get light to read

- Increases their literacy rates

- Once you buy a unit, it is yours, only might replace if battery breaks

- Cost: (the goal of money to raise)

Battery: ~480,000 Uganda shilling ~ $130

Panel: ~360,000 Uganda shilling ~$97.49

- Great need!!!!!

- Electricity is only in the town, he lives 3 miles from town and doesn’t have it meaning villages greatly need it

- About 100/300 homes have it (30%)

- Would use candles, but they have a high risk of burning houses,

mosquito nets catch on fire, and roofs made of straw would go up in flames

- Solar Panels would be the most beneficial form of help to raise education quality and social/ business prospects