Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo

Cheap Entertainment

Locust swarms were welcomed in the rural Congo village of Bulape.  In most African countries, these swarms are a biblical disaster.  The children had fun catching, cooking, and eating them.

That night, I noticed one of the locust was attracted to our solar-powered light.  The locust was safe because I was not going to eat it.  Also, I was not going to just kill it. 

The light reminded of the use of bug zapper in southern states.  In Congo, they use a lit candle as a bug zapper.  Just like in the south, they serve as a source of entertainment at night.

Keep It Simple

The solar sterilizer autoclave is not working at the Bulape Hospital.  Why?  No one knows.  But that's the way it is for many miracle devices.

Most hospitals in the developed world do not use solar autoclave.  It technology developed specifically for rural hospital in the bush without electricity.  But it is too complex or it is not main stream technology.

The solution is to use standard technology and devices.  Why not, a standard sterilizer autoclave powered by standard solar power unit.  As parts or component wear out, you replace the them.  The autoclave can be replaced by another autoclave.  The solar power unit can be replaced by another solar power unit or a generator.  Simplicity is the secret to sustainability.

 

Solar Energy is Critical to Village Development

 
Solar energy is the key to development in rural Congo.  There are no power grids to provide electricity.  And gasoline and diesel used to generate electricity are too expensive for it to be sustainable.

Congo Helping Hands was established to improve the quality of life for rural poor Congolese.  We chose to work in the areas of education, health, and development.  Frankly, development activities were delayed due to its complexity.  Also, it was more convenient to assist and support an existing education system and health system.

But the time has come to jump into community development in the rural villages in central Congo.  Every time we look to or propose a project, the lack of electricity is limiting factor.  Electricity enables community development.  Also, it enables and extends health and education, too.

Our reference hospital uses some solar energy.  But primarily, it relies upon diesel-generated electricity out of necessity.  The installed solar electric systems are generally used for lighting only.  The solar energy is not stored or used to power equipment.

In the past year, we have looked at the successes of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF).  "For the past 20 years, the Solar Electric Light Fund has worked to deliver solar power to rural villages in Africa, Asia, and Latin America by facilitating a new generation of “whole village” solar electrification projects."  I concur with their belief, 'energy is a human right.'  SELF’s Solar Integrated Development Maturity Model is their 5-level framework for understanding how energy poverty can be tackled at the local level, sustainably, one village at a time.  The five levels include water, food, health, education, and enterprise.

Starting next year (2011), Congo Helping Hands plans to implement its Congo Water Project Download Congo Water Project - Flyer - June 2010.  The center piece of the project is the establishment of a rural water company.  Solar energy will be critical to power planned water wells for drinking, domestic and agricultural use.

In the future, solar energy projects will improve the hospital and clinics use of solar energy.  Finally, solar energy is being considered as part of the Vinyl School Project .  The project will construct semi-permanent classrooms made out of used vinyl billboards.

The Endless Fuel

 
Some people prefer to cook with natural gas.  Others prefer to cook with electricity.  In rural Congo, wood is the main cooking fuel.  Wood is a plentiful fuel in Congo.  However, other fuels are healthier like charcoal. 

But the best fuel is the sun.  However, solar cooking is not practiced or used.  Solar cooking would probably add too much time to the cooking process. 

Solar cooking is practiced in many other countries in Africa due to a limited and distance supply of wood.  A 12-hour day, 365 days a year is an endless fuel.

 

Their Future Depend Upon Them

Are they ready for a career change?  I am looking for two rural Congolese women to be trained as "Barefoot Solar Engineers".  It sounds like a great opportunity.

It is a great opportunity but it comes with a big hurdle.  The woman must attend six months of training in India.  If selected, the cost is covered by the Indian Government Ministry of External Affairs' Technical Cooperation Division. 

At the end of six months the trainees pass out as Barefoot Solar engineers. As per prior agreements, the ‘graduates’ go back to their respective villages and electrify the households with solar lighting units and assume the responsibility of repair and maintenance for a minimum of 5 years. Barefoot solar engineers play a key role in sustaining and replicating solar technology in rural communities.

Will we find two women to nominate?

 

 

In The Dark

What could you function without?  I think it would be very hard for me to function without electricity.  I have done without running water and other utilities.  Today, our world is fully dependent upon electrical power.

Rural Congolese villages need electricity for health clinics, hospitals, schools, and other facilities used by many people.  Solar energy is a viable solution to electrify rural villages.

Without electricity, Congo will remain in developmental dark.

Being Green By Necessity

 
In rural Congo, green technologies and practices are a necessity.

You use solar panels to produce electricity because fuel for the generator is expensive.  Also, its availability is limited.  In fact in rural Bulape village, you have to travel over two hours to purchase fuel.  There is no electric power grid for villagers.

You use rain water collection systems to capture rain water from the roofs.  Without a rain water collection, girls and children have to walk 2-3 miles to get water from a natural source.  There are no water wells or water system in the village. 

But solar panels and rain water collection systems are a cheaper and green alternative for the Bulape Hospital.  The rural poor villagers do without electricity and running water. 

It's Time To Be Innovative and 'Green' in Congo

 
Henry Ford said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Often I think of the Bulape Hospital's lack of water.  They want the water restored to the hospital. 

The original water system got its water from a natural water spring located over two miles, down a steep hill from the hospital.  The old system consisted of a containment basin, a big diesel pump, and miles of steel pipe.  Basically, it mechanized the process of women carrying water up the hill to the hospital.

How do you restore water to the hospital?  You don't!  At least you don't just fix or repair the failed water system.  Why?  We tried and failed at it.

Water wells have not been popular in Congo.  I believe water wells can be effective and sustainable in Congo.  But it requires some innovation. 

Also, the growth of 'Green' technologies could be a boom for rural Congo and other sub-Saharan Africa countries.  Solar and wind power and water saving (harvesting) are just some examples.

Natural Lighting Is Abundant and Free

The question of the day is whether our classrooms will have electricity. 

Today, I continue a series started three days ago.   We (Congo Helping Hands) plan to build some new classrooms.  Previously, I answered questions about whether these classrooms will meet building codes, the locations of the proposed classrooms, and whether these classrooms will have dirt or cement floors.

When built, would they be electrified?  There are no power-grids in rural Congo.  Only critical buildings like hospitals have solar and or generator-powered electricity.  Lighting is the biggest need for electricity in the classroom.  Adequate natural lighting will be planned and used.  Natural lighting is abundant and free.  

Even in major urban cities, electricity is limited.  Most buildings in Kananga only have generator-powered electricity.

A Near Endless Supply of Water

Underground cisterns can provide a good source of clean and safe drinking water.  Rain water can be collected in the cisterns.  Also, a water from a well can be stored in a cistern during low useless period.  Then the stored water could be used to meet high demand periods.

A underground cistern working in combination with a deep water well and solar pump would provide a near endless supply of water at a low operation cost.  In Congo, about 12 hours of daylight is available 365 days a year.

The underground cisterns need to be protected from contamination.

If the cistern is located in the village center or near a school, Congolese girls would save hours a day.  Those saved hours could be used more productive for school or for food production.