Skip the Dirty Middle - Skip to Solar!

“Skip the middle” may be a bad slogan for a movie but a great idea for energy! The progression of bringing power to places has historically been no power, dirty energy, to clean energy. RSF’s Power to the People campaign is starting to bring solar power to the Batwa people of Uganda, skipping the dirty “middle”.

But when it comes to helping others, RSF doesn’t skip the middle. We want to make sure that the Batwa individuals in this village receive solar lanterns, cell phones, and that the families get complete solar power systems with a solar panel, a charge controller, a rechargeable battery, and lights in every room and outside. We want to make sure that every kid in the village can read their books on rainy days and complete their homework at night — not to mention that they can eat their dinner and see it! RSF is helping give "Power to the People" — solar power!

Shivan turns on the power switch for the first time!

By the end of this project, several homes will receive a solar panel with a battery that also has an outlet to charge a cell phone. Each battery is placed inside of a box to protect it from pests, liquid, and to prevent children from getting hurt. This battery can provide light to all the rooms in their home! Children and adults will no longer be limited to crowding around a tiny, cheap flashlight straining their eyes to complete tasks people with electricity don’t think twice about.

The wooden box that protects the battery with the cell phone charger

Beckham standing by the battery box.

One of the best parts about this project is that it is relatively cheap. The cost of installing a solar power system is a one-time payment of $450 dollars: $37.50 a month and only $1.23 a day. A soda in the USA costs about double the price!

RSF is dedicated to not only improving the lives of others but doing so with future generations in mind. Thank you to our generous donors for giving the gift of light! Please help us make the Kahele Village shine a little bit brighter! We still need to add solar power to 2 more homes at $900 total. We have completed Milton & family and are working on Amos and family this weekend. Next up is single mom Sharon who cares for several kids who are hers and some not her own.

Milton and Jacklin with their family, smiling about their new solar panel which is featured on the top right corner of the roof! The kids are (from left) Edgar, Sasha, Evidence, Beckham, and Shivan.