Givology - give to learn, learn to give

We are requesting $500 to provide electricity to classrooms at Chazon Children’s Center. The project includes:

• Assembling and installing four 200-watt wind turbines and two 100-watt wind turbines

• Purchasing and installing LED lights in four rooms (divided to accommodate 8 classes)

• Purchasing and installing the electrical components and wiring needed to to access the turbine-generated electricity

Please check out the blog (click "view my updates" under the profile photo) to read more about the project.

Chazon Children’s Center was begun in 2007 by Lucy and Samuel Njenga in response to the need to provide schooling to orphans and other children displaced by tribal violence in Kenya. The Njengas, both ordained ministers, sold much of their own property to purchase land on which to build a school. To date four classrooms and a cooking shed have been built. Each classroom is divided so that 8 grades can be accommodated.

Dr. Virginia Duffy, a psychiatric nurse practitioner with an interest in international volunteer work, discovered the school on a trip to Kenya in 2009 and made a commitment to assist the school with various needs. Of particular concern was the need for water and improved energy systems. Currently, the school has no electricity and cooking is done over a three-stone fire. The school was also looking for a way to irrigate crops being grown on the school property.

Dr. Duffy approached AHEAD Energy, a US-based nonprofit that assists schools and medical facilities to access the energy needed to fulfill their missions. AHEAD provided information about the availability of KickStart pumps in Kenya. With funding provided by Dr. Duffy, a pump was purchased and is now in operation at the Center (see pictures attached). In addition, AHEAD determined that the school could generate its own electricity by installing Jetpro wind turbines (the Center is on a hill were there are constant breezes). AHEAD secured a donation from Jetpro Technology (a Taiwanese renewable energy manufacturer) who also paid to have the turbines shipped to Kenya. These are due to arrive at the school in early April. In addition, AHEAD arranged for an electrician with experience installing renewable energy equipment to visit the school and provide an estimate of the cost to wire the buildings and install LED lights. The cost estimate is $500.

The electricity will supply lighting for the school, which is often needed during the rainy season to see indoors and also critical for security at night. It will also allow for the use of computers for student and teacher learning, improved record keeping, and communications with various agencies and others. A recent website (chazonafrica.org ) and blog (http://chazonchildrencentre.blogspot.com (also need to be updated regularly).

We are particularly pleased that electricity will allow us to use rechargeable lights (also donated by JetPro) that the children can take home to study by. Virtually none of their homes have electricity. When we can afford it, an electric water pump may be installed to supplement manual pumping during the dry season. At this time CCC is attempting to grow most of the food for the current 181 (and ever increasing) children. Buying food for all of these children is not financially possible and for some this is the only food they receive each day. Below are pictures of the School.

The Project Team consists of the following:

1) The Rev. Lucy Njenga and the Rev. Samuel Njenga, Directors, Chazon Children’s Center
2) Dr. Virginia Duffy, supporter
3) MJ Ebenhack, President and CEO of AHEAD Energy
4) Mr. Silas Kinyua Meeruh, Kenyan electrician operating a business in Chuka, Kenya.
5) Dr. Shih Chen, President of Jetpro Technology, donator of the wind turbines.