Community Wellness
The Solar Power Difference
Rafiki wa Maendeleo Trust
From Darkness to Light
Somewhere in Masala Got stands a grass thatched house, surrounded by the most beautiful natural stone landscape. Inside the house await three giggling siblings and their mother. The youngest hides behind the door as we walk in, while the eldest courageously receives us. You can tell that she is her mother’s crown jewel when the latter offers the eldest a place to sit – a 10-litre water jerry can, so that the visitors can occupy the seats – a sign of respect within African culture.
Today’s visit is no ordinary visit. Rotarians crossed several borders, as part of a follow-up visit to listen to families and to hear about how solar lights have been beneficial in improving the lives and health of families in the community. The eldest girl proceeds to narrate how she used the solar power to read long into the night in preparation for her national primary exams 2 years before, and managed to score a whopping 393 marks out of a possible 500 – no easy feat considering the treacherous 5 kilometer walk to school over steep hills, made worse by the huge boulders of rocks – testament to the village’s name Got.
Her second-born sister sat for her own national primary exams this year, and scored an astounding 343 marks, a victory she attributes jointly to the solar power, and eReader – a digital literacy initiative courtesy of Rotary. Rafiki, through the help of supporters, the community and government agencies, tirelessly works to improve the lives of families and their children through education – a key ingredient for the sustainability of any development initiative. We believe in communities and in the power of coming together to secure the future of their children.
Believe with us.
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