The PV system, once operational, will reduce Starehe’ s annual utilities bill by 20 percent. The savings will be used to enroll an additional 10 girls in the next academic year
By Chebiwott Bartenge
Starehe Girls’ Centre won the Zayed Future Energy Prize 2017 in the Global High Schools category. The school was recognised for having proposed a project to implement a rooftop photovoltaic( PV) system to supplement its electricity supply.
The PV system, once operational, will reduce Starehe’ s annual utilities bill by 20 percent. The savings will be used to enroll an additional 10 girls in the next academic year. Nawal Al-Hosany, the director of Zayed Future Energy Prize, said that they were impressed by the institution for their proposal’ s vision and the legacy it will leave for future students.
“ Empowering young people is key to delivering a sustainable future. We welcome Starehe Girls’ to our community and hope it will act as a benchmark for others in the Africa region to think and act sustainably,” he remarked.
Biggest Attraction
Starehe girls students
Starehe Girls’ project co-ordinator, Wilkista Onyango, said that they are not too young to be involved in raising local and global awareness on how to curb global warming.
“ We are young ambassadors for change in the world through creative thinking and implementing a clean energy development project,” she said. The project entails installation of 25KW photovoltaic rooftop system, four solar water heaters and ten solar powered street lights. Kiambu isn’ t in constant sunshine, but the sunexposure can sustain the system. The students have also set out to start‘ The Cool Green Campaign’ which aims to reach out to other high schools in Kenya and create awareness of renewable energy.
In June last year, Wilkista Onyango, an alumni of the school, together with her friend Norah Magero found out about the Zayed award and introduced it to the school. The biggest attraction was that it had been won in Somaliland in the year 2016. This continues to prove the unending possibilities of the world.
Zayed Future Energy Prize is an annual award that celebrates achievements that reflect impact, innovation, long term vision and leadership in renewable energy and sustainability. Since its inception, the award has created a growing community that is committed to finding solutions to challenges in energy security, environment and climate change.
It was launched in 2008, as part of the UAE leadership’ s commitment to the United Nation’ s Sustainable Energy for All initiative. The award ceremony was held on January 16th 2017 in Abu Dhabi, UAE
The PV system, once operational, will reduce Starehe’ s annual utilities bill by 20 percent. The savings will be used to enroll an additional 10 girls in the next academic year
WATTS UP MAGAZINE APR- MAY 2017 23