On this first trip, we think it makes sense to give these solar appliances to basic primary healthcare centres and micro-businesses.
During our personal travels over the months, we've seen first-hand how rural clinics are forced to hand-made kerosene lanterns that emit damgerous fumes and give off very low lighting. Worse still, some healthcare centres use candles!
Phew, planning the logistics has been an intimidating task! But thanks to CRUDAN (the Christian Rural & Urban Development Association of Nigeria) - which has contacts in all 36 states of the country + the Federal capital territory - we've been able to 'parcel' our great country into 5 zones and take on the road trip, slice by slice.
Why are we doing all of this? Lots of people think we're out of our minds. But, that's just it! The shock factor has achieved the desired results, aye? The buzz about our supposed craziness has at least drawn people's attention to several issues tied to our journey:
1. The need to serve rural areas.
2. The use of solar in changing lives (you'd be amazed how the healthcare centre that receives a solar lamp gift can now attend to women in labour instead of turining them away due to lack of light).
3. Environmental protection. The essence of replacing dirty fossil fuels (such as kerosene) with clean, free and renewable energy (solar).
4. That illiterate women can absolutely be trained to become solar engineers!
Tomorrow, I'll let you in on our experiences during fundraising. Totally and unexpectedly lopsided...
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