In March of 2017 we will travel to Nicaragua, to help bring solar power to a rural community. We will take the trip through GRID Alternatives, a non-profit organization based in Oakland, California.
GRID Alternatives has been leading solar power projects in Nicaragua for the past 8 years.
We will work with a community in Potrero Sur, to install solar electricity in their homes.
Today, most people in the community use inexpensive kerosene or diesel lamps at night, even though they know that they are putting their families at risk of respiratory illnesses. The other options are battery-powered flashlights or candles, which don’t provide enough light to illuminate a room.
We will help install solar panels on their roofs so that by March of 2017, they will be generating their own electricity to power lights and appliances we take for granted, like cell phones and fans.
We will work with a community in Potrero Sur, to install solar electricity in their homes.
Today, most people in the community use inexpensive kerosene or diesel lamps at night, even though they know that they are putting their families at risk of respiratory illnesses. The other options are battery-powered flashlights or candles, which don’t provide enough light to illuminate a room.
We will help install solar panels on their roofs so that by March of 2017, they will be generating their own electricity to power lights and appliances we take for granted, like cell phones and fans.
Harnessing the power of the sun requires more than us volunteering, it also requires financial support. GRID Alternatives will charge us twice the cost of the trip to participate in their 9-day program. We want to pay half of our trip costs, $1,600, which covers transportation, staying with a family in the village, as well as sightseeing activities after the solar installation. We hope to fundraise for the other half of the cost of the trip. This money will be used by GRID Alternatives to pay for the solar panels and the organizational costs of the trip. We are reaching out to ask for your support. You can make a tax-deductible donation to GRID Alternatives.
We are very excited about the trip, and we are looking forward to practicing our Spanish with the community and learning more about the campesino way of life. It feels important to help increase renewable energy and to bring electricity to the Potrero Sur community. We hope you will help us. Thank you for your support!
