Saturday, January 31, 2009

Solar technology & TV/Video in QEP

Cannot find a high-speed dialup service here, so no chance of photos.
However we have had a productive two days.

It started with a visit to a solar tech company called Ultratech, where Abhay Shah is the director. We discussed the pros and cons of several solar set-ups and agreed that his team would build a system for us at Kasenyi Primary School in Queen Elizabeth National Park, on the shores of Lake George. We plan to install a system that will run four low energy light bulbs, a 32" LCD television, and a DVD/Tape deck that can play either PAL of Europe or VHS of North America. As Abhay pointed out we also need to tell the headmaster, Kiiza George, that the system will charge up to 3, but only 3, cell phones at one time.

All the funds for this endeavour have come from three sources. These are team members of the Uganda Wildife Rotation at the Western College of Veterianry Medicine, alumni of our program, Veterinarians Without Borders / Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (Canada) and generous corporate donors, of which more in future posts.

The best thing is that the installation will take place while we are in the park in mid-February. We will make sure that the community local council will be represented, as well as the park authorities and of course the children and staff.

Of course the solar stuff will not be of any use without the TV & deck, and today Jo & I did some sleuthing and found the ideal set. We had taken pre-emptive action and have some conservation videos to take and give to the school.

Hopefully we may have found a decent Internet connection by then and will post a picture two

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