Bringing electricity to rural Tanzania
Since I began working in Tanzania in 2008, I have been involved in environmental education. In addition to giving multiple talks to students from primary and secondary schools neighboring the national park, in collaboration with with Gráinne M. McCabe (Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program) we have established a partnership with Msalise Primary School. We work in close collaboration with Mwalimu Ahmed Churi, head conservation education teacher at Msalise.
Msalise is a village 16km off the main road that passes along the boundary of the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The village does not have electricity and the road to get there is flooded during the rainy season (from November to May). Currently, Msalise has over 600 students enrolled, but only six teachers. Teachers are highly committed and motivated, commuting every day several kilometers by bike to go to school. During the rainy season, however, they have to carry their bikes on their shoulder for most of the journey and often cannot make it at all.
Msalise is a village 16km off the main road that passes along the boundary of the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The village does not have electricity and the road to get there is flooded during the rainy season (from November to May). Currently, Msalise has over 600 students enrolled, but only six teachers. Teachers are highly committed and motivated, commuting every day several kilometers by bike to go to school. During the rainy season, however, they have to carry their bikes on their shoulder for most of the journey and often cannot make it at all.
With donations from our family and friends, we helped the school install solar panels, providing the only electricity in the area for 15 km. As a result students are now able to study at night, use a computer and projector (also purchased through donations) and raise funds for school maintenance by renting classrooms for town meetings in the evenings and starting a small cell phone charging and document typing and printing business. The projector is also used by the Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Centre Environmental Education Program to show conservation focused videos to the students and villagers. The village has also hired an askari (watchman) to guard the solar panels at night.
More recently, we have finished the renovation of the ceilings in the school, and one classroom, and are currently raising money to complete the construction of a teachers’ residence onsite, so that teachers will not have to travel so far each day, particularly during the rainy season. Other future projects include enlarging the school garden, which the students and teachers maintain. Currently, the crops are used to provide one meal per week to all the students; we would like to increase this if possible. If you are interested in helping with Msalise or would like further information on our community conservation initiatives, please do not hesitate to contact me.
More recently, we have finished the renovation of the ceilings in the school, and one classroom, and are currently raising money to complete the construction of a teachers’ residence onsite, so that teachers will not have to travel so far each day, particularly during the rainy season. Other future projects include enlarging the school garden, which the students and teachers maintain. Currently, the crops are used to provide one meal per week to all the students; we would like to increase this if possible. If you are interested in helping with Msalise or would like further information on our community conservation initiatives, please do not hesitate to contact me.