Brilliant news - literally!

We have received very generous support to install solar panels on all sixteen houses currently occupied, with enough funds in hand for solar for all of the last phase of building - 9 houses more. Thank you, Prefect Controls, for your interest in our project and for the invaluable support and encouragement you are giving us.

Electricity supply had been a major problem. The first eight houses to be completed do have a standard electricity supply but Kenya Power had demanded a very large sum to install a new transformer for the other houses and it was unaffordable. They have now lowered their demand, so now all the houses will have a Kenya Power supply as well.

From the start of the project the aim has been sustainability and the plan had been to install solar power at the end of the building work. The generous funding Prefect has provided was unexpected and immensely important. We cannot thank them enough! They have said they will fund the solar for the remaining nine houses and the first four of these foundations are well underway. The Kenya government now require all new housing to install solar roof tanks for heating water and Prefect are funding that too.

In Kenya the sun sets around 6.30 pm, making many activities difficult. Most important was the problem for young people to be able to concentrate on their studies although watching TV will also be popular! Electricity via Kenya Power is expensive and somewhat erratic, so this way they will have a reliable service with these two alternative sources, leaning mostly on the solar power which is available at a much lower cost than for Kenya Power.

Meters to monitor the use by each family are already installed. Extensive tests have been done to check the optimal way to share the costs of the power units and it turns out to be one unit for each four houses, which exactly fits our housebuilding programme.

Let the light shine! A few days after this photo was taken the whole neighbourhood was in darkness because of a power cut, except our project houses. Our families were very happy!!!

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