OLPCorps UofColorado Namibia
The Namibian Context:
In the 1990s, community-run nature Conservancies formed in Namibia’s wildlife-rich rural areas to thwart poachers, increase animal populations and generate funds from tourism for rural development projects. Elephant Energy (www.elephantenergy.org) was formed by University of Colorado students, faculty and alumni to assist the Conservancies and their support organizations, the World Wildlife Fund and IRDNC, to promote rural development and nature conservation though the dissemination of appropriate, low-cost renewable energy technologies in Conservancy areas. To that end, Elephant Energy distributed 50 BoGo solar-powered flashlights (www.bogolight.com) in August 2008 to the Caprivi Region’s nine Conservancies and plans to distribute over 1000 more in the fall of 2009. Like the lights, the 100 XO laptops will be used as seed technology to encourage Conservancies to invest money earned from tourism in life-changing products. Elephants, which only a decade ago were feared and poached, will help to light the homes and educate the youth of Namibia.
XO Dispersion and Education Plan:
Dispersion: We will donate 25 laptops apiece to each of four rural, off-the-grid elementary schools in four separate Conservancies in the Caprivi Region of Namibia, focusing on 6-12 year-old learners. While the school will receive the laptop, a small group of learners (4 maximum) will “own” the laptop during each term, to broaden the reach of the program and promote sharing. The participating schools will be chosen with the assistance of interested Conservancy chairman during April and May. The Mudumu North Complex (Kwandu, Mayuni, Mashi and Sobbe Conservancies - see map) would be an ideal location. However, we do not want to promise laptops before we are certain that they will be donated. The WWF and IRDNC will receive the laptops prior to our arrival and will assist with storage, transportation and logistics during the summer. Arrangements for solar power supply (150 Watt systems for each school) will be made prior to our arrival in Namibia with the assistance of the WWF and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (see http://www.mme.gov.na/energy/solar.htm for info on solar system costs).
Ten Week Plan: We will spend our first week conducting meetings in each of the four conservancies to introduce ourselves to families and school administrators. We will designate a focus school for each of weeks two through five, where we will spend three consecutive days working to distribute laptops and instruct teachers and students on their use. We will split up during the other two school days for meetings at other partner schools. We will return to each school for three consecutive days apiece during weeks six through nine for emphasis on curriculum development. Special importance will be placed on environmental education. An employee of the Conservancy, including mangers, game guards, women resource monitors and enterprise officers, will visit once per week during the summer to develop curriculum that encourages linkages between Conservancies and schools. Involving children in the Conservancy movement will build a conservation ethic from the ground up, making children agents for change in the region and preparing them for employment in tourism and rural conservation-related businesses. In addition, a special focus will be placed on involving parents in each child’s computer training. During week ten, we will set up a meeting for teachers and select students and parents at an appropriate location (likely Bum Hill Camp near Kongola) to discuss the future of the project and additional needs in the schools. A new Elephant Energy volunteer as well as WWF and IRDNC employees will be present at this meeting so we can transition our work.
Sustainability: The purpose of the project is to encourage Conservancies to invest the funds they now earn in useful technologies like the XO laptop. The 100 XOs should be considered demonstration products that will be used to encourage broad dissemination in Caprivi in the future. The future proliferation of XOs in Caprivi will be promoted by the WWF, IRDNC, Elephant Energy and future volunteers from the University of Colorado.
Contact:
Please contact us for further information about our project and the success of our proposal:
Elephant Energy 2028 Meade St. Denver, CO 80211 (515)-991-3114 elephantenergy@gmail.com www.elephantenergy.org