High school students from Northern and Central California will be making a global impact, providing light to areas in Africa –where there is none.
The nonprofit, We Care Solar is working with PG&E to provide portable solar kits.
The kits, called We Share Solar Suitcases®, are small, portable photovoltaic lighting systems, powerful enough to illuminate a small room.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s $260,000 sponsorship will put more than 100 portable solar kits into the hands of local high school students through the company’s Better Together Giving Program.
“The Solar Suitcase is designed for daily use, it’s essentially a hard plastic suitcase with a system in it that includes a solar panel, and some outlets, and the idea is the students will get these kits along with $8000 to support the program.” – PG&E Spokesperson Denny Boyles.
The students will then build more than 100 portable kits.
Some students will be chosen along with their teachers to deliver the Solar Suitcases to orphanages, schools and medical clinics in Kenya.
Students will also participate in local sustainability projects and have a chance to make a global impact by distributing solar kits to certain countries in Africa, Haiti and other energy-poor regions of the world.
The schools who receive the kits will be trained to use them by We Care Solar and will learn firsthand the basic principles of producing clean energy.
Students will then be invited to submit videos of their own local sustainability projects.
Winning schools will choose student and teacher representatives to deliver solar suitcases to orphanages, schools and medical clinics in Kenya with international charity Free the Children
Schools interested in participating in the program can apply now through May 31.
