Project Jatropha Kick Starts 2015 with Phase II Solar Energy Project through Global Call to Youth

Dear Friends,

Apoorva and Adarsha demonstrating the  installation of the solar kit

We are very excited to share our continuing success of Solar Energy Project in rural south India.
  If you recall,  In 2012-13 winter break, we launched a brand new solar energy project as a part of environmental education of our Global Call to Youth (GCY) . During our rural school visits of 2010 and 2011, we observed that there is a tremendous amount of power outages throughout  rural India. The staff told us that at times, they have power cut for 18 hours/day !!  Even during day time, these small rural schools are poorly lit. Many of the rooms lack windows. We wanted to see if we could teach the children an alternative method to light up their room. This led to our 2012-13 Solar Energy Project involving rural schools of GCY.
 Our Best bet was to introduce the power and importance of Solar energy. It was just not about donating solar panels to the schools. We wanted the children to learn the mechanism by which the system works and learn that there is much more to electricity than wires and switches. We wanted them to understand how they can still light their rooms during power outage.

We chose 4 Watt Solar Shed Light from Chicago Electric.

 This was the easiest in terms of assembly. The unit is portable. It provides 4 hours of back up power.
 We were informed that the significance of solar energy is integrated in their science curriculum but only in theory. Our goal is to demonstrate the actual mechanism using these simple kits.
For the Phase II of Solar Energy Project, In the winter of 2014-15, we  demonstrated the installation of  the solar kits and the basics of how the system worked in selected rural schools, hostels and orphanages.

  We plan  on extending the solar energy project to all the participant schools of GCY in the coming years. As it will be impossible for us to visit each and every school personally, we are partnering with  a private school : Vidya Varidhi Shikshana Trust: ARALU MALLIGE VIDYASHRAMA situated in bilikere, Hunsur Taluk. This will be our anchor school.

we plan on extending our Phase II of Solar Energy project through this anchor school.
The management committee, teaching staff and the students are all very enthusiastic in joining hand with us.  A team of students and staff will reach out to the neighboring small rural schools to distribute the solar kits, demonstrate its installation  and the basics of how the system works.
 As we repeatedly emphasize, we are counting on the demonstration effect of the solar kit to inspire and interest the  rural children. We strongly feel that this is a great start to teaching them the power of small-scale renewable energy. we believe that this will help foster their curiosity and environmental education.

From,
Adarsha and Apoorva