Solar power for school in the Amazon
Schools in the remote Amazon region often have inadequate access to energy. To change this, TOOLS FOR LIFE is supporting a solar tower for a school in the vicariate of Inírida with 10.000 €.
Current situation
In the Vicariate of Inírida in eastern Colombia, indigenous people live mainly in communities that are difficult to access. These can only be reached by water or plane. Electricity is generated, in most cases, only by mostly antiquated diesel generators. Apart from health damage caused by leaks from the generators, the maintenance and servicing costs for generators are very high. Schools have to spend about 9,000 € per year on them. The schools lack this money for important modernizations and teaching materials. To change this, Adveniat plans to equip the 23 schools in the vicariate with solar panels. In 2020 solar panels will be installed in the first 11 schools.
Our measures
TOOLS FOR LIFE supports the project, which is carried out by Adveniat, the Latin America relief organization of the Catholic Church in Germany, with 10,000 €. In order to supply the schools with sustainable "green" energy, a solar plant, a so-called Power Tower, will be built. The money saved by eliminating the generator can be invested in better equipment for the school and thus benefits the pupils. Furthermore, there are no more exhaust fumes and distracting engine noises. This allows the pupils to concentrate better on their lessons.
The Power Tower supported by TOOLS FOR LIFE is intended for a school in Pueblo Nuevo - Zama in the indigenous protected area "Selva de Matavén". Indigenous people of the Piraoa and Sikuani tribes live there in 19 communities. The people originally come from the Venezuelan rainforest and fled to the Colombian part in the 1980s, as they were persecuted by other warring communities. It is a small school with only one teacher and 22 children.
Facts and numbers
EURO Budget
Months
The background to the project
This and other power towers will be erected in the vicariate of Inírida, an area of 86,000 km² with 40,000 people in eastern Colombia. Most of the inhabitants in this area are indigenous. Adveniat plans to supply all 23 schools in the vicariate of Inírida with electricity. The solar power comes from so-called Power Towers of Begeca GmbH with a capacity of 3,000 watts and a battery capacity of 16 kWh. The towers are optimized for tropical weather conditions. People on site are trained in maintenance and repair to ensure the long-term viability of the project.
| Country | Colombia |
|---|---|
| Human Development Index | 79 |