For each household, we are installing a system composed of a 40W solar panel, a 12V, 12Ah battery, a controller, 3 LEDs, switches, a mobile phone charger, cables, and assorted small components. It is a very basic system, but enough to make a significant different in the family’ life.
One set may not weight much or occupy much space. But 500 sets is a completely different animal. They weight tons, and take up the better part of a 20-foot shipping container. And we have to ship them from Mainland China to Rwanda.
Rwanda is a land-lock country, hence the container has to be shipped to a port in Tanzania, clear customs, loaded onto a truck to be driven into Kigali, clear customs, and finally driven to Huye.
There were delays at ports and customs, delays induced by the tariff wars, … Even though we ordered the shipment many months ahead, the container still hasn’t arrived 4 days into the project. We had already used up all the material left over from last years, and those we brought over in our suitcases. We could not go to the field for two days. We had to shuffle the schedule and fill the days with other activities.
.jpeg)
Hence when we saw the truck turning onto our street, in the distance, we were overjoyed. Actually, it was more like relief.
It was already 4 PM, hence too late to go to the field. In any case, we quickly unloaded the material, sorted them out, and organised them systematically. By then it was already dinner time.
After dinner, the students quickly went to work. Doing as much pre-assembly as possible. So that we can do the installation faster when we get back to the field tomorrow morning.
Exciting times, needless to say!
No comments:
Post a Comment