Water point pump powered by ElectricAid’s 2006 solar panels.
Continuing our series of positive reports from Ethiopia:
In 2005, ElectricAid was funding about 5 generators for every one solar power project. By 2015, this ratio had more than reversed, as solar technology has improved, lowered in price and become normal in the Developing World. Here is a recent report from ElectricAid stalwart Robert McDaid on an early (2006) solar installation in Ethiopia:
In December 2006, Robert McDaid, ESB Networks Sligo, sponsored an application for a solar power installation for an Integrated Community Development Project in Dimeka, South Omo, Ethiopia (06-A-136). A good friend of Robert, Spiritan Priest & Monaghan man, Father John Skinnader, who was then based in nearby Arba Minch, identified the project as providing enormous benefits to the local community. Lighting and power were essential so that services could be provided to the local community. The tourism body in Ethiopia stress that “Ethiopia has 13 Months of Sunshine” every year (they have their own calendar) but it gets dark at 7 every evening. Solar was an obvious way forward.
John, who is now based in South Sudan, invited Robert, and a couple of other friends to join him for a week in Ethiopia last April. Robert took advantage of the trip to assess the Dimeka Project. Dimeka is not a very attractive place and not easy to get to. It is an eight-hour drive to Arba Minch, on well surfaced roads, followed by a five-hour drive on very basic roads which are subject to flooding and wash-out in the rainy seasons.
Dimeka is the biggest town,(a cluster of houses) in an area of the Hamer people. The Hamer people traditionally are pastoral farmers who graze small herds of Cattle, Goats, and Sheep and live in small villages. Their simple lifestyle is seriously disrupted by modern influences such as TV, Mobile Phones, Cars and Tourism, and by the precarious uncertainty of their economic life . Although influenced by other religions, their culture is based on Animist beliefs – cattle play a major role in their culture and society.
Irish Spiritans have a long history of involvement in Dimeka and other parts of Ethiopia. They are well regarded and work well with other bodies and organisations in serving the community they are part of. In the mid-1980s, Dimeka was a locus of famine. Things have improved well since then, but the lifestyle and standard of living is still very basic.
It is over ten years since the Solar Panels were installed, things have moved on, there is now a robust if somewhat unreliable mains electricity supply, so the solar panels are no longer a primary source of electricity – although they served their purpose reliably and well. The remote pumphouse which supplies the Church Centre and Compound is still powered by the panels, this water is shared with neighbours who live nearby.
Conclusions: The solar panel installation was completed and served its purpose well. According to USAID Data, only 27% of Ethiopian households have mains electricity. The Government has set a target for a million new connections per year; as there are 14.6 million households awaiting connection, it will be a long time before they all “get the light”. Solar panel projects are an ideal item for ElectricAid to be involved in, especially if they can be used in Water Supply and WASH Projects.
Robert McDaid, May 2018
*For those of you under 65 years of age, OMO was a brand of washing powder back in the day … and still is a region of Ethiopia.
… Pictures involve Fr. Cyril, F.r John, and Robert McDaid. As you can see, site visits can be fun!
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