Fundraising for Power Up Kenya

Goal: 6 / 100 (6%)

About the Project

Engineers Without Borders – San Diego Professional Chapter plans to design and build a roof-mounted, 7kW solar electric system with battery backup on an existing community building in Mbita, Kenya. In addition to the solar component, we will also design and run the building’s electric wiring and fixtures, including the main service panel. A comprehensive plan has been devised to provide training on the proper safety, operation, and maintenance of the PV modules, inverter, and batteries. The electricity generated by the solar modules will power (20) computers, (2) telephone lines, indoors florescent lighting, (4) ceiling fans, and a printing station inside the Island Technology Center (ITC).

A team of three will be flying to Kenya this spring to perform a site assessment to gather site-specific data, including structural integrity, exact property measurements, solar irradiance, and logistics. Upon returning we begin our final stage of fundraising that will allow a larger team to return to install the solar modules and run the electrical wiring.

West of Nairobi and just north of the Serengeti National Park, Mbita is a village located on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria in the African nation of Kenya.  The ITC is located in Mbita and is currently just a building shell. $70,000 was raised to purchase 5 acres of land and construct a 4,000 square foot building out of stone and metal roofing. The ITC is located on the mainland of Mbita to serve Mfangono and Rusinga Islanders and mainland residents of Kaksingiri, Kasgunga, and Gembe.

Once complete, the non-profit ITC will be a hub of activity. The ITC will become the regions first library and the only public access to computers and adult training. The Center will offer classes taught by three local instructors, certified from national universities, and supervised by a general administrator. The administrator reports to a five member advisory board.

The ITC promises:

• Low cost computer training for post-secondary students
• The first library in South Nyanza
• Internet access to health care providers & educators
• Internet access for youth volunteers
• A meeting site for adult education/literacy, homework, and tutoring
• A site for community meetings

Around the world extreme poverty makes the concept of self-improvement impossible to imagine for millions of people. Mbita and its surrounding villages are no exception. There is little to no access to modern convenience or infrastructure, such as paved roads and reliable utilities. High rates of AIDS/HIV, low life expectancy, poor education, hunger, and economic hardship define the region. Many young people leave for the larger urban areas in search of jobs, only to find cities overcrowded with little opportunity.

Our team consists of a dedicated group of San Diego volunteers plus one inspirational native Kenyan, Dan Oroao.  Our local team consists of volunteering members from the Engineers Without Borders – San Diego Professional Chapter (EWB-SD) and the University of California San Diego’s Teams In Engineering Service (TIES) organization. EWB professional members use their real world expertise to engineer the project while the students benefit from a unique chance to see an entire project from initial conceptualization through to completion.

Additionally, our team consists of Dan Oroao, an engineer living in Michigan but born and raised in the Mbitan area.  As a teenager Dan had aspirations to be either a schoolteacher or a local government official on the island. Education liberated Dan from a life of subsistence fishing and bartering. Instead Dan proved to be the exception. Against the odds, Dan graduated from a Kenyan university before moving to the United States. Through the financial help of many caring individuals Dan raised the $70,000 necessary to purchase the land upon which the ITC has been built.

Together our team works together to accomplish our goal of offering hope to the world’s most poor.

Contact

For more information and recent updates on this project, please come to our next chapter meeting or contact us at project.coordinator@ewb-sandiego.org.

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