One Lamp per Bure Project Update
Loloma's Piolt Solar Project--Enpowerment Through Energy by Jane Lenoard
Unfortunately the January cyclone interrupted the Vuaki Village site assessment and prevented the fundraising village rummage sale for the ‘One Lamp Per Bure’ project. However, Terry Holladay took photographs of the village and a village elder gave Linda Kwasny an excellent village plan including a thorough building inventory so progress was made.
Concurrently, a team of engineering students at UCSD conducted a feasibility study, evaluating climate factors and engineering challenges. During their final presentation they presented wind/solar hybrid options and a suggestion to evaluate biomass. We will continue to consider options for the individual bures as we are uncomfortable providing toxic batteries, a fundamental component of the solar system, to each bure.
In the short term we will focus on providing light and power to the community center, which the entire village uses daily. Light for evening activities will be provided as well as enough power for some computers and sewing machines. Children will be able to study here in the evenings, and the women’s group, ‘The Evening Stars’, is eager to begin sewing projects that can potentially provide income to the village.
The Rotary Club of Del Mar and they have generously committed $4,000 in seed funding for the village community center. Several members of the club are involved in the solar industry and are acting as advisors to the project. It’s wonderful to have financial and practical support from this global organization whose creed is ‘Service Above Self’.
I am hoping that the Vuaki Village solar project can act as a successful case study to support a resolution the Del Mar Rotary club recently proposed to Rotary International. The resolution, which will be voted on in 2010, proposes that Rotary International focus on supporting renewable energy projects in developing nations during the next decade.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any suggestions or questions about the project.
Loloma Foundation Supporters Open Their Hearts
$650 donated in flood relief effort by Bob Sykes
Vinaka friends. In January our team found itself in the midst of the worst flooding in Fiji’s recent history. In a special edition of this newsletter, Flood Relief Newsletter, we asked supporters to donate to help with extraordinary costs of a rural population dealing with this crisis. The generosity was heartwarming. Within a week, we received $650 for emergency relief from various supporters.
[FULL STORY]
Medical Equipment Manufacturers Donate Equipment
Sonosite, ConMed and Gore Open their Hearts by Eileen Natuzzi MD
It is indeed heart warming that several medical manufacturing corporations have stepped in with the donation or "loan" of very expensive medical equipment for our continuing work in the South Pacific.
What does your Donation Buy?
$10.00 Will buy enough pencils to stock a rural primary school in Fiji for all children for half a school year $25.00 Will buy enough notebooks to stock a rural primary school in Fiji for all children for half a school year $50.00 Will purchase enough topical antibiotics for one nursing station for 1 month. $100.00 Will purchase 100 double walled boxes for clinic delivery $500.00 Will purchase one case of bandaids $1,000.00 Will purchase a case of bandages $5,000.00 Will pay for the cost of shipping one 20 ft. container full of medical supplies
We Need your Donation!
Donate Now We need your help to pay for some of our “hard” expenses in the pending mission to the Solomol Islands. Whatever you can donate at www.lolomafoundation.org/donate will make a significant difference.
to the village.
The Rotary Club of Del Mar and they have generously committed $4,000 in seed funding for the village community center. Several members of the club are involved in the solar industry and are acting as advisors to the project. It’s wonderful to have financial and practical support from this global organization whose creed is ‘Service Above Self’.
