Child's Dream: Empowering underprivileged children, …...Child's Dream Foundation 238/3 Wualai Road, T. Haiya, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand Email: [email protected] •

Solar Charging StationsSchool-based activities for income generation

P r e s e n t a t i o n

http://www.childsdream.org/

Often, rural schools located in the Mekong Sub-Region are poorly resourced and lack

financial support for their activities.

In addition to the problems of poor infrastructure and facilities, schools often do not have

enough resources for teaching and learning, nor stationery to aid their students in building

up knowledge.

We are able to develop a deeper understanding of the community’s needs by working

closely with our beneficiaries and establishing a strong trusting relationship to implement

projects. Besides education-related issues, other problems in the community often include

lack of electricity and food shortages.

Child's Dream Foundation238/3 Wualai Road, T. Haiya, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100, ThailandEmail: [email protected] • Website: www.childsdream.org • Tel. +66 (0) 53 201 811 • Fax +66 (0) 53 201 812

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The Situation


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Solar Charging Stations

Many rural communities still depend on petroleum lamps or light bulbs connected to car

batteries to light up their homes at night. Although car batteries are less hazardous

compared to petroleum lamps, it is time consuming and expensive for the villagers to

frequently travel very long distances to get them recharged.

Hence, by setting up solar charging stations for car batteries in our schools, we are

supporting the communities in accessing electrical energy that is cheaper and more

environmentally-friendly.

Also, the school can generate some income by charging a nominal fee for the service. The

income generated can then be used to purchase teaching and learning materials, as well as

to support other school activities. Students can also attend classes while waiting for the car

batteries to recharge.


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Implementation and Monitoring

A committee of eight to ten villagers is selected by the community members to manage the

solar charging station which includes organising the battery charging service, maintaining

the system and managing the income generated.

A permanent staff to operate the system is employed and paid with part of the income

made from the battery charging service. The bulk of the remaining earnings is then used on

school related activities and to maintain the system.

As the solar charging stations are currently implemented in Child’s Dream-supported

schools only, our project teams will be able to closely monitor and manage the programme

during follow ups and evaluations with the community once every three months.


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Budget & Reporting

Due to the very positive outcomes and feedbacks gathered from the schools and

communities, we are expanding the programme by installing more solar charging stations in

our partner schools.

The initial set up cost of one station with six to eight solar panels is between

USD 6,000 and USD 8,000.

Such an installation can recharge approximately twelve to fourteen batteries per day.

As with all our projects and programmes, reporting will be provided. For Solar Charging

Stations, a one page photo report will be sent to the donor.


Documents

Child's Dream: Empowering underprivileged children, …...Child's Dream Foundation 238/3 Wualai Road, T. Haiya, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand Email: [email protected] •