Education Tanzania, United Republic of Project #27456

Bring Solar Light to 500 People in Zeze, Tanzania

by Mboni ya Vijana Group

Project Report | Jun 10, 2019
DARK LIMITED THE POTENTIALS TO THE FUTURE

By Benedicto Hosea | Project Leader

Solar lights in dark markets at Zeze

“It is the big jump we have made at Zeze Secondary School, no one can disputes with that. From 2011 to 2016 is five years of having form four graduates from Zeze Secondary school. There were no division one, two or three achieved by students but since 2016 to present the school performance has increased steadily. For example, only the class of 2018/19, 21 out of 34 students have proceeded to the next levels of education after getting better results after their form four final exams. We believe and appreciate the role of light which have extended private studies during the nights”. The Zeze Secondary head teacher explains. Solar lights given to the students for evening classes are what assessment showing to make the difference in education improvement at Zeze Secondary School than the neighbour schools.

The dark limited businesses as it prevails for 12 hours similar to the daylight in Kigoma region like other parts closer to the equator. When it is dark people run into houses for taking care of their children and bedding as they could not have worked more in dark. Things are different now, “when it is dark I switch on my solar light to keep me selling goods” – Angelina says. With solar lights, there are changes in use of fuel in homes as well. Jusilini a single mother earns her cake through tailoring says, “Kerosene was my source of light in my home using a kerosene burner. It made my eye always red and aching, I felt bad working with my sewing machine when it is dark. Now it is fair enough to work as I can because the solar light is not a hazardous like kerosene. It has changed my life as I save the money which I would have used for buying kerosene.”

“When I am late at home, no children crying of darkness fear. They are happy to have solar light which gives them opportunity to keep playing indoor. I cook for them after evening market and let them go for a sleep and stay doing other light duties because I have light which I need no to buy fuel” – Berenadetha a married woman with seven kids says.

However the changes are those which can’t be seen by everyone, there is distinguished development in social and economical at Zeze village brought in by solar lights scheme. In the small village like Zeze which lacks electricity, require alternative source of energy especially solar power which is a clean source of energy. We are still looking for more energy alternatives to unlocking potentials for production of wealth and factories.

Solar lights being deliverd to farmers at Zeze

Berena sells up to nights because she has light

Angelina tells how solar light help her business

Permalink

Mar 12, 2019
Light is the Pride to Rural People

By Benedicto Hosea | Project Leader

Mariam

Unlike Europe like in the UK whereby spending £5 is just a normal thing, rural Tanzania like Zeze village it is a pride to have a solar light costing £4. Solar lights added four more hours for students to evening study, two more hours of evening home works and three more hours of doing small businesses in the evening.

Mariam is the standard four student who did not have an opportunity to have more evening studies but now she does as the result of having solar light. She has been celebrating of having improved performance in the class of 107 students to the fourth position from 56th she used to be a year and a half ago. She is sure to use time effectively for education because she has solar light. "when I miss the sessions or I didn't understand the teachers in the classroom, I can revise the same sessions in the evening at home because I have light. Also I get more time to reading more stories and books even those which are not in the school syllabus so to expand my literacy and knowledge." Mariam said.

Janet is epilepsy chronic with two kids. She is always in the room out of fire and other hard materials. Her Children are busy helping her to get food and things clean. "My children help me with a lot of works and the lights enable them not to afraid in the night. Solar lights give them courage and confidence to wash themselves and other home untencils during the night." Janet says. The role of solar lights has been as well to give to people more working time but also confidence to security.

Tamali sells cassava flour and she used to sell it during a day time but the light has turned the behoviour around. "Many people buy flour in the eving than it was in the past when I used to sell it in the day only. I was able to sell 80 to 100 kilograms a day before solar light but after having it I sell up to 180kg a day. this is the effect of solar light which has added three more hours of working in the evening." This is the substantiation from Tamali who is improving her income status from the business as inspired by the solar light.

There are many potentials of bringing solar lights to Zeze community those can not be all presented however, families are enjoying it.

Permalink

Dec 12, 2018
Transforming lives with solar lights in Zeze

By Benedicto Hosea | Project Leader

Having access to a solar light transforms lives in villages like Zeze. Children are able to read and study after dark, and families are not forced to burn expensive and poisonous kerosene in order to see. This leads to many problems:

Air pollution: When kerosene burns it emits a thick black smoke which is bad for the environment and for people’s health. Air pollution kills more people per year than HIV and Malaria combined. Spending a few hours with a kerosene lamp causes the same damage to someone’s lungs as smoking 40 cigarettes. It can also cause eye infections.
Fire: Kerosene lighting causes a serious fire hazard because the lamps are easily knocked over and the fuel is highly explosive. Schools and homes have been burnt down and people killed because of fires caused by kerosene lamps.
Global warming: An average kerosene lamp emits 340kg of CO emissions a year, contributing to global warming. Other sources estimate the unburnt particulates from kerosene lamps as contributing to 3% of global black carbon emissions.
Expensive: Families often spend 10 – 15% of their household income on kerosene – locking them into a cycle of poverty. Many children use them to do their homework and to study in the morning or after sunset. However, their parents often cannot afford enough kerosene and have to ration it to provide light for cooking, farming and other tasks.
Poisonous: Kerosene is a clear liquid and is sold in plastic bottles, children often mistake it for water and this can cause serious illness.
Poor lighting: The light given off by a kerosene lamp is dull and flickers. This causes eye strain when reading and means that families have little quality time together after dark. To see well using a kerosene lamp you have to sit very close to the light, which increases exposure to the noxious fumes.

So thank you again for your donation that is transforming lives in Zeze, and best wishes for the festive season.

Permalink

‹ 1 2 3 4 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.