We’ve already seen the effect of solar panels at All Saints School, providing electricity to the girls hostel and two nearby classrooms. For the remote Mikuyu community, the positive impact of its own electricity supply will be even greater. Mikuyu is very remote and very rural, lying 20 kilometres along a dirt road from the nearest large town of Kasungu, with its population of nearly 59,000.

Near the equator is gets dark at 6pm all year round so, when it gets dark in Mikuyu, it’s really dark!

The only infrastructure is the borehole that we installed last year, and without the things we take for granted, like electricity, running water or a sewage system, daily life for everyone is really hard..

We plan to install solar panels for the library and admin block, meaning pupils can study and teachers can plan lessons and mark work in the evenings.

An electricity supply will also enable internet access, meaning the tablets donated by Frensham Heights School can be charged up and put to good use. Not only will this aid teaching and learning, but it will also provide a direct means of connection between teachers and students in Mikuyu and Frensham Heights. This will be an effective way to strengthen the partnership between both schools.

March 2021
We’re delighted to report that thanks to a generous donation of £800 from Rotary Farnham, we have now raised the £1,800 needed for this project. The solar panels have now been ordered and should be installed in the next few weeks.

Huge thanks to everyone who has helped us deliver this important work.