We are delighted with our accomplishments thus far. The seven previously constructed clinics are running smoothly and are a great help to the people in need. Presently we are extremely eager to launch into the next phase of our aid to the Karen people. We desire to construct two larger solar powered clinics with higher capacity levels and the ability to conduct more complex procedures. All we need is your generous help to get it started! Please find more information about this project at the website listed. Thank you!

Links:

• Green Empowerment Burma Project Website

We're happy to report that 7 more clinics in Burma have solar power! Earlier this month medics working in the clinics were trained in solar installation and operation. The training participants then carried the equipment back to their jungle clinics. Please read the pdf final report for details and photos. Thank you all for making this project a success! Stay tuned for upcoming projects.

Attachments:

• 2007ClinicTraining.pdf (PDF)
  

A total of 7 clinics will be equipped with solar power in late March/early April.

The medics of these clinics will be trained on the operation and installation of the solar panels so that they can be sustained in the long run. After the training, the medics carry the solar panels into the jungle and set them up at their clincs. At the training, they are taught how to orient the panels toward the sun and connect the controller, inverter, and battery.

We believe that investing in people's skills is essential so that they can fix the systems themselves. In this case, the clinics are so remote (up to a 2 week walk into the jungle) the people that work in the clinic have to know how to fix the system if a wire gets loose or it needs other minor repairs. Since the clinics are so remote, it is important that the people relying on the systems know how to maintain them themselves. While the medics' primary job is of course to provide medical care, they are too remote to call a solar technician to come fix the system if it breaks.

The training also covers how to manage the use of the solar system so that there is power in the battery when you need it. Since the medics are the users, they need to know how much electricity they can use, how long they need to let the solar panels recharge the batteries and what kind of appliances work with the electricity generated by a solar power system.

Since the medics themselves know how to install and maintain the systems, they can also take the solar systems down and move them if their clinic is under threat.

Thanks to donors like you, we have been able to fund this stage of the program. Thanks!