Musuuza’s lanterns boost renewable energy drive The Observer Wednesday, 09 November 2011
Toxic fumes from generators continue to cloud a sizeable section of Kampala’s skyline as a strict electricity supply regime continues to be enforced. Outside Kampala, the number of Ugandans with electricity is disheartening. Overall, about 10% of Ugandans have access to electricity. There are a number of solutions for the country to get out of this predicament.
One of them is to ramp up the use of renewable energy. And this is where Abu Musuuza comes in. A director of Village Energy, Musuuza is running a campaign to promote the distribution of affordable solar systems for rural and the semi-urban households. He says his organization has acquired small solar lamps like desk lamps that people in the rural areas can use instead of the lanterns that require fueling almost every day.
One of them is to ramp up the use of renewable energy. And this is where Abu Musuuza comes in. A director of Village Energy, Musuuza is running a campaign to promote the distribution of affordable solar systems for rural and the semi-urban households. He says his organization has acquired small solar lamps like desk lamps that people in the rural areas can use instead of the lanterns that require fueling almost every day.
“These small solar energy lamps will help the poor people save the money they’ve been spending on paraffin. They can use this money to develop their lives in other spheres like starting small businesses,” he said.
The organization intends to encourage parents to buy solar lamps for their children through an extended campaign dubbed ‘One lamp a child’ to aid children in the villages read at night without difficulties. The project also extends to small-scale traders. Edward Kizito, in his mid-40s, has seven children. He has to do odd jobs on top of his small-scale farming, much of which is for subsistence. He is a bicycle mechanic and a builder too.
However, his earnings – about Shs 10,000 (about $4) a day - are not enough to enable him connect electricity in his small house. He, therefore, depends on slightly larger lanterns that use paraffin to light. The added cost of buying paraffin, on top of feeding the family, is pushing him to a break point.
Musuuza says the new solar pieces they are promoting are intended for such people to relieve them of the big lighting costs. One solar lamp, he says, is sold at a subsidized rate of Shs 15,000 yet ordinarily they would be buying them at Shs 45,000 a lamp.
“This solar lamp simply requires being placed under the sunlight for eight hours every day and it will serve its user for the whole night,” said Musuuza.
Jake Formosa of Village Energy pointed out that gadgets which produce a fire to provide light are always a danger to people’s lives because they can easily lead to a fire in the home.
“With this small solar light, we want to reduce the occurrence of such incidents because they lead to loss of lives.” On top of that, Formosa says, the black silt given off by the ordinary lanterns that use paraffin can lead to health complications when inhaled.
The Village Energy project will target all regions in Uganda.
jovi@observer.ug
Facebook
Twitter