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 financial support and encouragement you are giving us.

From the start of the project the aim has been sustainability wherever possible and the plan had been to install solar power at the end of the building work. The generous funding Prefect Systems 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 yet to be built 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.

We were able to install mains electricity in the first eight houses but then Kenya Power asked for such an exorbitant amount for a necessary new transformer to support electricity for all the other houses that we could not afford the sum required. As a result the new residents in houses 9 to 16 had no electricity when they moved in - they needed their new homes and made do as best they could. Now they have solar and all is well.

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

In Kenya the sun sets around 6.30 pm all year round, making many activities difficult. Perhaps most important is the problem for young people of being able to concentrate on their studies.

Our project manager has sent me this description of the tranformation of the life of Mary Wanjiku, one of the residents who recently joined the project.

Mary Wanjiku carried an extraordinary burden for years, as a single mother raising five children - her own three and two left in her care by her sister. Moving into her new unit at the Mwamko Housing Project was a major milestone but, without electricity, nights remained a challenge. Relying solely on a small portable solar lantern, basic things like having proper lights and helping five children study in the dark turned every evening into a stressful race against sunset.

Life was transformed when Mary was connected to a shared 10 kW solar energy micro-grid, splitting clean power with three of her neighbors. Bright, reliable light now fills her home, giving her children a safe environment to study well after sunset. Crucially, her power expenses will be just half of the main grid tariff and will provide immediate financial relief, allowing her to redirect vital savings toward essential household needs and long-term family security. "My future is bright now," Mary says, proud that her household energy is also contributing to the fight against climate change.

Let the light shine!

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

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