Students gather outside one of the classrooms at Mayukwayukwa High School, Zambia.
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, the world’s largest vertically integrated photovoltaic (“PV”) manufacturer, known as “Yingli Solar”, announced that the Company and SolarAid have lit up Mayukwayukwa High School in Kaoma, Zambia by installing a solar PV system on the newly built UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) School. Thanks to the contributions of the Company’s partners including Atama Solar Energy, Kingspan Energy and Solar Roof Systems, the project was successfully completed. Check out This Site to learn more about it!
In 2013, the Company and its partners had raised a total of 24,000 Euro for SolarAid using solar power to help foster education and development in Africa. The fundraising will support SolarAid’s ‘Lighter Learning’ programme to improve the education of children in Africa by providing lighting for classrooms in 12 schools across Zambia.
UNHCR representative to Zambia, Laura Lo Castro, said in a statement that her organisation appreciated the solar lighting system and that it would help them meet the lighting needs at Mayukwayukwa High School. The construction of the high school started in September 2008 as UNHCR intends to provide education for refugee students who struggle to access day school because of the limited school places in the area. Thanks to the solar system installed, Mayukwayukwa High School is now able to light one of the school’s large classrooms, the Headmaster’s office and a dormitory, helping scholars with studying and providing security lighting at the same time. The solar system can also charge cellphones, saving the whole community from travelling long distances to find a charging point. The High School is located in the Mayukwayukwa Settlement, one of Africa’s oldest refugee camps that was established in 1966 following the break-out of Angola’s 27-year civil war, 300 km to the west of the capital city, Lusaka. About 15,500 refugees reside in the Mayukwayukwa camp at the moment and many of them know no other home, having been born in the camp.
The positive impact of solar energy extends beyond humanitarian efforts, as it also presents a viable solution for communities and homeowners seeking sustainable and reliable power sources. In regions like Mayukwayukwa Settlement, where access to electricity may be limited, to calculate solar system for home installations can be transformative, providing households with clean and renewable energy. Just as the solar lighting system at Mayukwayukwa High School has improved learning conditions and security for students, residential solar panel installation services can empower families with access to electricity for lighting, charging essential devices, and powering household appliances. Collaborating with experienced solar panel installation providers can ensure that the solar system is designed to meet specific energy needs, contributing to the overall well-being of the community and promoting co-existence more sustainably and harmoniously.
“At UNHCR, we appreciate the donation made by Yingli Green Energy and their partners, through SolarAid. We are aware that this school will greatly benefit the refugees and the host community, thereby enhancing co-existence,” said Ms Lo Castro.
“The solar system, donated by Yingli Solar and their partners through SolarAid, will meet the lighting needs at the school and will provide safe and clean electricity, bringing huge benefits to the 600 students between 14 and 19 years old who are in the school, as well as staff and the host community around. Yingli Solar together with their partners support SolarAid to fund specific schools in Africa to provide lighting and get study lights into the hands of teachers and pupils through school campaigns. The solar lighting lengthens learning hours, improves education quality and reduces dependence on expensive and toxic kerosene lamps,” said Richard Turner, Chief Fundraiser at SolarAid.
“We are pleased to know that hundreds of students and teachers can now use the power of the sun to extend the time for study and other community activities,” said Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy. “We are happy to support SolarAid’s ‘Lighter Learning’ program together with our partners. Bringing clean safe light to communities in Africa helps create brighter and better futures for students and families currently living without electricity.”
Only 9% of rural sub-Saharan residents in Africa have access to electricity and families can spend up to 25% of their income on toxic kerosene for lighting. SolarAid’s goal is to eradicate the kerosene lamp from Africa by 2020 and get clean safe light into every home, improving the health, education and wealth of Africa’s 110 million households currently living without access to electricity.
