Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo

During the Day As a Prisoner of the Dark

You are still a prisoner of the dark during the daylight.  Because of the lack of electricity, indoor lighting is not available.  In order to work during the day, you have to sit in front of or near a window.

Luckily in Congo, the temperature are moderate on most days.  It averages about the mid- to upper-80's daily.  So, you are almost required to open the windows since you do not have air conditioning or circulating ceiling fans.

It is desirable sheer curtains or no curtains at all.  Sheers are better to keep bugs and mosquitoes out of living and working space.

 

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.

Keep the Simple and Get Rid of the Poverty

It's a place without cinemas, theaters, shopping or strip malls, TV, fast food shops, and fine restaurants.  Rural Congo is a simple place for living.

Unfortunately, it is a place of poverty.  There are poor schools, bad hospitals, no roads, poor cell coverage, and a very slow internet.  And there is no electricity and running water, either.

I think most of us would like a simpler life.  But we want a good quality of life.  The same is true for rural Congolese. 

The Similarities and Differences of Water and Oil

 
Sometimes water is a lot like oil.  They are similar in some characteristics.  Water and oil comes out of the ground by drilling.  Water and oil is cherished by many people in world.  But some people have ready access to it or others do not.

The rich has both water and oil.  They use more than their share of water and oil.  And the presence of water and oil make their lives better.

The poor do not own the trappings of oil like cars, buses, or even electricity.  And they do not have access to clean safe water. 

In rural Congo, the poor need clean safe water.  They walk miles to get water.  Oil is not used.

What You See Is Only Half The Answer

 
In Congo, you see some things that you are quite obvious of the condition.  For an example, when you an old beat-up car driving the road while belching smoke.  You think that car is dying.  And 999 times out of a 1000 times, you would be right in your assumption.

However, some things are more subtle and not so obvious.  For example, you see a light switch in a building.  You can not assume that there will be lights if you flipped the switch to the 'on' position. 

The same is true of medical equipment in a hospital.  What are the chances that it will work?

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.

The Lack of Everything Except Poverty

 
One of the things that hinders project implementation in Congo is the lack of materials.  The availability of building material like wood, cement, and roofing is near-existent.  When it is available, it is very expensive.  A good hardware store would a lot of problems.

But then there is lack of utilities like running water and electricity.  Can I have a public utility company?

And then there is lack of infrastructure like roads, trains, and planes.  Can I have transportation company, too?