The photo above might not look like a Solar Kiosk…in fact, at the moment, it’s a nicely constructed pile of mud and sticks with a metal roof. But after we add wooden beams, concrete, doors, windows & locks, and then top it all off with 350 Watts of pure solar energy, you’ll see what we see: HOCET Secondary School’s first Community Solar Kiosk in Shungubweni Village, just a few kilometers from our school.
Several months ago, the Kujali and HOCET teams were brainstorming opportunities to help our HOCET Secondary School students earn an income and put their business skills to the test- outside of the classroom. Through our recent partnership with Solar Aid Tanzania, an idea emerged. What about launching a student-run Solar Kiosk in a nearby village, in which we could provide energy related services (phone-charging, cold drinks, “buzz ” cuts), and also sell affordable solar products to the community from companies such as D.Light, Barefoot Power, and Sunny Money?
The idea grabbed all of us- including the students and staff of HSS. This is why we love the concept:
First, Shengubweni Village is at least 40-minute (bumpy) ride from the main road. Members of the community have no access to the national electricity grid, and perhaps only two residents (out of over 2,000) have access to electricity- either through a small solar panel or a small generator. On days when the one shop in town that has the capacity to charge a couple of phones per day is closed, residents must walk 3-4 kilometers to another village. Just to charge their phones.
For the Shungubweni community, the HOCET Community Solar Kiosk will 1) Provide clean, sustainable, affordable home lighting & power solutions; 2) Provide community education on solar energy solutions; 3) Give villagers with access to affordable phone-charging and cold storage (for medicines and food products); and 4) Provide entertainment & educational programming for the community.
For our students, the Solar Kiosk will: 1) Generate income to fund and support their own student projects & expenses; 2) Give students real-world experience in entrepreneurship and small business management; 3) Provide practical application of classroom skills (accounting, finance, entrepreneurship); and 4) Teach students to take ownership & responsibility for their own business project.
Recently, we were gifted a generous grant from The Waterloo Foundation, to make our Solar Kiosk a reality- a big Thank You to them for their support! Also, a special Thank You to Solar Aid Tanzania, for their support in donating the Solar system for the Kiosk, and spearheading with us one of their first rural partner-project kiosks in Tanzania.
Currently, the students (a team of 18 students from Form I-IV make up our “Solar Committee”) are working hard on completing the business planning under the direction of one of our teachers. They are determining the exact costs of equipment and materials, producing profit & sales estimates, and developing marketing strategies to help bring power to the residents of Shungubweni.
We’ll keep you updated on all of the student’s progress, and we can’t wait to launch the business!
Jon & The Kujali Team
