Education India Project #7825

Using Solar Energy to Help Children in Rural India

by Friends Unite

Project Report | Mar 28, 2012
A Status Update from the Anjana School in India

By Murali Bashyam | President, Friends Unite

Children Studying a Night

We are happy to announce that we have raised all of the funds needed for the solar project at the Anjana Vidya Kendra School in India. In addition, the solar installation is complete and the school children at Anjana now have a fully functioning computer lab, as well as classroom and outdoor lighting!

We recently received a report from Dr. Channa Raju, the founder of our partner, Brahmi, the NGO that administers the school.

We felt that the best way to provide an update to our supporters is to share this report with you.

From Dr. Channa Raju:

SOLAR PROJECT AT ANJANA VIDYA KENDRA SCHOOL

Background

Anjana Vidya Kendra is a formal school providing meaningful education to approximately 250 disadvantaged rural students. The school originally opened in 2001 and added a high school section in the year 2009. The school caters to a population in excess of 10,000 people living in the 12 nearby villages, predominantly to children of individual farm workers. The school is situated in Desapande Guttahalli, a small village near Whitefield, about 40 km (25 miles) east of Bangalore.

The school planned to establish a Science Center, consisting of a science laboratory, a library plus reading hall and a computer center, to promote the quality of education in the region. The biggest hurdle in the school’s path was lack of consistent grid power. The school is connected to a grid which is primarily meant for farming purposes. Due to its geographical location, which is the far end of two border districts of Karnataka shared with Tamilnadu, the region’s power supply suffers from erratic fluctuations and incessant power cuts. The school could not use any of its donated computers nor the audio-visual equipment to teach students without a viable power alternative.

In this scenario, Friends Unite, a non-profit based in the United States came forward to lend a helping hand and to provide a lasting solution to our problem. After much deliberation and two visits to the school, Friends Unite decided to help fund a solar power solution conceived of by the Brahmi board to provide power to run 20 computers and provide lighting in and around the vital locations of the school. Selco, lead by Magsaysay award winner Harish Hande, was given the contract to setup an inverter based solar power system in February 2011.

Status

Selco started erection of panels over the roof of the library block in April 2011 and the first phase of work was completed by July 2011. Finally, the computers at the school were energized. Soon the memory of children sitting in front of blanked monitors was completely erased.

The 2^nd and 3^rd phase of the work was subsequently taken up by Selco to set up DC lights in the classrooms and the corridors. This work was completed in September 2011.

The timing could not have been any better. The school’s first batch of students had to prepare for their 10th grade board examination starting April 02, 2012. The school started night classes after the solar facility was established, as these children could not study at home due to lack of electricity. The night classes started for 10th grade students in October 2011 and still runs today. Both 8th grade and 9th grade revision classes also added night classes for the same reasons.

Additionally, a large monitor was setup in the library in order to helps students take advantage of audio-visual media. Lessons from Khan Academy, NASA Science and other useful downloads were made available to the teachers. The Anjana children routinely use the encyclopedia and the videos provided by our sponsors, Friends Unite.

Maintec Technologies, our corporate partners, maintain the computer center. The donated computers are all networked with each other and are well maintained. The power systems are maintained by Selco based on an Annual Maintenance Contract.

Here is what Sindhu, a 10^th grade student, had to say (only edited for grammar!) –

“The school has become more of a home for me. I spend more time at the school than home. I enjoy being here because the school has lights and computers are working. I and my friends consider ourselves lucky that we have been able to study under lights unlike several of my friends back in my village. We feel confident that we will do very well in our examinations…On behalf of all students I would like to express our thanks to Murali Sir and Ketan Sir, everyone at Friends Unite for giving us light and power ”

We at Anjana Vidya Kendra School voice Sindhu’s sentiments. This is the best gift to the school so far. We express our heartfelt gratitude to Friends Unite for understanding our problem and supporting us. We also thank everyone behind Friends Unite for contributing to this success.

You have helped us to overcome darkness and given us new strength. We assure you that we will use this gift effectively. We plan to setup several new programs to ensure that these advantages are given to more students in the region.

Again, thank you for your support. This would not have been possible without you!

We would also like to thank Global Giving for their support. Although some of the funds were raised outside of Global Giving, most of it was raised through the Global Giving platform. Thank you.

Nighttime Classes at the Anjana School in India

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Dec 16, 2011
Update #3 on the Anjana School Project in India

By Murali Bashyam | President

Night Classes

We are pleased to announce that the solar installation at the Anjana Vidyakendra School is now complete. The school not only has as a fully functioning computer lab, but it now has classroom and outdoor lighting as well!

One can only imagine the impact this will have on the school children and their learning ability.

Dr. Channa Raju, founder of the Anjana School, said the following:

“Our first batch of 10th grade children will be taking board examinations in March and in order to get them ready, we are providing them with additional coaching. Since these children will not be able to prepare at home due to power shutdown on all days between 6 and 9 PM, we conduct night classes and I personally teach them math and science. This has been made possible only because of the availability of lights in our classrooms and the library, though the entire region is immersed in darkness. You and other members of Friends Unite will be happy to know that all installations are working and are being used every day effectively.”

As we’ve said before, access to energy is critical to economic and educational empowerment. The hard work and support of many will provide these children in India the tools to learn and help their communities for decades to come.

Continue Spreading the Word!

Just this morning (12/16/2011), we received 35 pen-pal letters from the Anjana School children addressed to a group of enthusiastic Girl Scouts in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is just the first step in creating lasting global connections that will hopefully benefit everyone.

That’s what Friends Unite is about.

Creating Connections and Helping Promote Issues related to Global Health and Education in a Sustainable Manner.

Although the solar installation is complete, the journey to advance important global issues in these areas is far from over.

Thank you for caring enough about the education of the world’s future leaders to give them the tools they need to succeed.

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Sep 6, 2011
Update on the Anjana School Project in India

By Murali Bashyam | President, Friends Unite

SELCO Solar Batteries

Guess What, Friends?

Thanks to the efforts and contributions of everyone involved, the solar panels at Anjana Vidyakendra School are now installed, fully functional, and powering an entire computer lab in rural India!

Here’s how effective your efforts have been, as described by an email from SELCO Solar India, our partner and solar panel providers for the school:

“….the current has failed for the past 12 days at Anjana School and surrounding villages due to some transformer burst. But all the students are able to study in the evening with our LFE [Solar powered LED] lights. Also, the teachers who stay close by are using the lights for class preparations...”

Now these children and teachers in rural India have access to modern educational tools, all because of you.

Good work!

The Girl Scout Connection Continues

As we mentioned in our last project update, a local Girls Scout Day Camp leader contacted Friends Unite after reading a story in the New and Observer about our efforts to help these children in India.

Pam and Murali gave a presentation to the Girls Scouts about the Anjana School a few weeks ago. We were inspired by the girls’ knowledge of global issues, their understanding of friendships, and their drive to help.

What did the Girl Scouts do?

They collected used books and educational software programs. In fact, boxes and boxes of them! These boxes are now in route to India.

These young women also created booklets of drawings and information about themselves to share their lives and experiences with children on the other side of the Earth. This is the beginning of a Pen-Pal program the Raleigh Girls Scouts, with the help of Friends Unite and Brahmi, is conducting with the children at the Anjana School.

What does this mean?

New Connections, New Experiences, New Friends!

Stay tuned!

And You Do The Hokey Pokey…

The children at Anjana School got to show off their newly-formed computer skills, as well as their Hokey Pokey skills, on a recent visit to the school by Murali and his wife, Cheryl. If you want to break the ice, do the dance – the Hokey Pokey!

You must be thinking - What does the Hokey Pokey have to do with all of this?

Read Murali’s blog post about his visit to the school, his experiences with the (dancing!) children, and the vision of everyone involved with this wonderful partnership and project.

You’ll get some good insight into why we’re a part of this, and how simple things, like a dance, can connect people, young and old, from across the world.

Thank You

Building connections is one of Friends Unite’s primary goals, whether through fundraising, collaboration, sharing of knowledge and ideas, or any other way you can help us come up with. Your contribution to give access to education is what caused the connection to happen between the Girl Scouts in North Carolina and the children at Anjana School.

Please continue to spread the word about this important project so that we finalize the funding. We still have to raise about $1,800. We need your help.

These bright young minds have already shown you a small part of what they can do. We look forward to see the leaps and bounds they will be capable of with the steps you helped them create.

And it’s wonderful to see a new generation of leaders reaching out to help people – the Raleigh Girl Scouts!

Thank you for caring enough about the education of the world’s future leaders to give them the tools they need to succeed. This project and the connections that resulted from it would not have happened without your conviction, your contribution, and your continued interest.

Thank you.

Presentation to Girl Scouts on the Anjana School

Dr. Channa Raju and Solar Panels

Links:

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