50 solar lanterns 2 economic ventures for makutano

Recently in May and June 2013, students who are excelling in their academic work and come from poor backgrounds received solar lamps from SDFA team, thanks to genrous donations from well wishers and contribution from the women groups in Chumvi, in Makutano. We shall monitor the performance of the students with the lamps over a period and be able to asses the impact the lamps have made in their lives.

We wish to thank all our supporters who have continued to donate tehir resources and time to us. Special thanks to Miami Dade college for the great partnership.

We also applaud the women in Makutano who have continued to fund more Mwangabora lamps from proceeds from small businesses they have set up. In deed they remain some of our most respected partners in the community and we are greatly honored to be working with them.

With the beginning of rabbit farming last May, the Makutano group has had a lot from it:

• The proceeds from the venture that started with forty rabbits have been able to go into sponsoring more lamps for the group members. From December to now February a total of 15 lamps each costing US$ 25 has been sponsored by the group: funds coming from the rabbit rearing venture.  This will increase the amount saved from not using kerosene. The amount saved will be invested back into the venture that will see its expansion. For instance each household saves US$ 2 a week for using our MwangaBora solar lamps. 15 households have recently acquired this empowerment tool, which translates to US$ 120 saved a month that will be added to the already running rabbit rearing venture.
• From sponsoring the 15 lamps the group has also pledged to pay for secondary school fees of one of the group members’ child who’s at Chumvi secondary school. The family has problems meeting her school fees. Zainabu is in form three and lives with her grandmother who is a group member of the Makutano women group. They collect stones and sell them for a livelihood. But thanks to the rabbit rearing project the group has offered to support in paying the fees for her.

Zainabu “I would like to be a news anchor after I complete school, but I was not sure if my dream will be realized.” Zainabu lives with her grandmother, where they have to collect stones, sell to earn a living.

She is very bright; she has always been in the top 5% of her class. Currently she is in form three. “I am always on the road; I can’t concentrate in class since my grandmother struggles to pay my fees. I have huge arrears that I have to be send home always. But thanks to the women group that my grandmother joined in 2011, they have pledged to support my education this will help me achieve my dream and be able to help my other siblings and the community at large.”

It is the small things that we do that makes a bigger difference in other peoples’ lives like supporting the 50 solar lanterns and 2 economic ventures for makutano. We wish to thank you all that have contributed to this cause. And pray that we will be able to raise the remaining funds together to achieve our main goal of at least providing 50 MwangaBora solar lamps to this group and be able to initiate another economic venture that will liberate them from suffering. Together we can fight hunger, poverty and suffering.

• Rabbit_rearing_venture_a_blessing_to_the_community.docx (DOCX)