Project Haiti 2007

As you may know this project has taught some bitter lessons!

Above all that if you go into a foreign country you need, above all, to carry the local residents with you.

In this case the local 'bosses' decided they wanted panels large enough to charge their car batteries and no-one else was allowed to have the small pv panels promised.

Dear Graham,

Sorry for delay in replaying... the last period I've been traveling a lot and did not have access to the net.

I definitely share your concern regarding the framing.

We used your idea .... the PVC is perfect, relatively cheap and fast to use and no trees are required.

The project is going very well.

We trained one person... he learned and in no time he was much better than me... both concerning speed and skills.....

well, no wonder there I suppose.

More people are supposed to be trained soon.

All panels have been mounted and the selling is now in the hands of the commitee of the local village

and they were going great already from the first day.

People are queuing to buy panels..... so asa we get the money back we can order more.

Ewan is already in contact with the Croatian guys and we found somebody who transports goods by boat

from Miami twice a month... so it looks promising.

Also the other project in PaP involving Philippe and Kathleen is proceeding it seems.

Please keep us updated with all of your new findings.... we are very grateful!

Otherwise, I'm now in Italy since yesterday and I'll be back to Sweden next week.

I'm already thinking about going back to Haiti again :-)

Hope everything is good with you

cheers

raffaella

First - Evaluation - Finding out local interest

Two of AMURT-Haiti volunteers show how a radio can be powered by small solar panels at the local market of Sources Chaudes, a rural area in the north-east of Haiti.

On this occasion several interviews were carried out randomly to evaluate the needs and interests of the local people.

Making larger panels for charging car batteries

Eber, inhabitant of Sources Chaudes and member of the village's committee has been trained on solar panels technical aspects and is now in charge of the assembling.

A "masonite" board is used as back, sponge is placed between the glass and board.

The wires are kept in place by office clips and the frame is made with PVC profiles for electric wiring. The village committee is in charge of the sales.