Access to clean water and electrical lighting has proved to greatly increase social, economic and health conditions in developing communities. This project aims to provide a PV (Solar) powered electric system in seven rural health clinics in Nicaragua. The solar electric system will provide lighting for the clinic, AC power for charging communication devices, and a solar powered chlorine generating unit to disinfect contaminated drinking water for the community.

This project will be implemented in 6 communities with a total of 2,790 beneficiaries. Project partners also include the Nicaraguan based NGO AMOS, Always On Solar and the Rotary.

We will also train both representatives of the participating communities, health clinics and local NGO’s to facilitate maintenance of the systems. Our target date for completion of the project is by the end of 2011.

• Extend working hours and improve quality of patient care in rural medical facilities by providing a PV (Solar) powered electric lighting.
• Allow health care providers to operate outside of daylight hours and have adequate lighting in emergency situations.
• o Improve living standards through lower incidences of water related diseases (e.g. diarrhoea, skin infections, cholera, parasites, etc.) and mortalities by providing a low cost, user friendly, solar powered chlorine generator.
• o Allow health promoters to charge cell phones / radios in order to contact the government health organization in the event of an emergency.
• o Promote and expand the use of solar energy technology, a renewable energy solution which requires no fuel, minimal maintenance, and has a 25+ year lifespan.

We will install a basic “Solar Home System” (SHS) in each of the health clinics in the six or seven participating communities. Each system will include an inverter which will allow health providers to charge cell phones and communication devices for use in emergencies. Each system will consist of one or two solar modules, a charge controller, one or two deep cycle batteries, three or four low wattage ceiling mounted lamps, a desk mounted exam lamp, and a chlorine producing unit (CPU).

Training and capacity building will play an instrumental role in the success and sustainability of these projects. Separate training programs will focus on organizational / institutional capacity building and end-user, community based training. These programs will vary in content and timescale.

End users will be responsible for troubleshooting, diagnosing and repairing their system. Participants from the communities will construct and install their own systems to gain an intimate understanding of the function and maintenance of each component and the general functioning of the system.

Nicaraguan NGOs working in the fields of health, hygiene, potable water and rural development will be invited to attend an extensive training seminar to gain an understanding of the possible applications of the locally available solar technologies (i.e. solar lighting, water pumping, etc). The sessions will also focus on conducting site assessments, feasibility studies and project implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation.

This project will be funded by generous donations from the Federal Way and Nicaraguan Rotary Clubs, Rotary International, AMOS and by private donations