For the longest time now, energy has been a challenge with billions of people all over the world using polluting fuels such as firewood and charcoal in their day to day activities. This has posed a bigger challenge with both the environment and individual health being affected adversely through deforestation, the additional greenhouse gasses affecting the atmosphere, respiratory diseases and eye problems.
Moreso, this has also affected education in rural Kenya where pupils lack the adequate resources to study past sunset or early in the morning with dependence on firewood and kerosene lamps as a source of light at night.
Through the participative and direct observation research conducted by the organization, the reasons most communities have not embraced the use of clean energy have been summarized to:
- Lack of electricity in most rural regions in the country.
- Lack of knowledge on alternative sources of clean energy such as solar lighting.
- Most households, almost 35% of our population, are living below the poverty line which makes access to clean energy very expensive.
- Excessive consumption of firewood both for lighting and cooking which most people are already used to.
Having identified these problems, 3Es Experience has come up with various projects with the focus of integration of renewable and clean energy into the target beneficiary communities such as:
1. Go Solar Read Smart.
This project was initiated to issue solar light lanterns to pupils studying in rural Kenya where electricity and other good lighting techniques are scarce. These pupils have for the longest time depended on light from firewood and kerosene lamps to do their assignments or study for their examinations at home after the sun has set.
The solar lights will play a big role in reducing the use of polluting fuels for lighting and also go a long way to eliminate respiratory infections caused by inhaling smoke and eye problems. Through this project, the pupils will be taught the different types of fuels we use in our daily activities, the importance of using clean energy and how to maintain the solar lights given to them by the organization as we work towards ensuring quality education is promoted in all parts of the country.
2. The Clean Cooking Initiative.
With most communities still depended on polluting fuels for cooking, 3Es Experience has come up with various solutions to introduce clean cooking into the community through:
- Organizing workshops for the community to be taught about clean cooking and its importance.
- Partnering with like minded organizations to distribute clean cooking equipment such as eco jikos.
- Sharing knowledge on how to use and maintain these equipment with the community.