The EGG-energy team just returned from a trip to a rural community several hours outside of Dar. TANESCO’s transmission lines do not reach this area, but one of the residents runs a 10kW generator that powers a grain mill and lights for ten dukas (small convenience stores) and other small businesses in town. The generator—manufactured in China—runs from 4 pm until midnight.
The owner of the generator and the mill also runs a duka. He sells small batteries, basic staple foods, toiletries, and kerosene, which he brings in from Dar in a 200L container. His customers can also purchase kerosene lamps that are typically fashioned from old tin food cans. Each family owns about three such lamps and travels from as far as 30–60 minutes away to replenish their kerosene supplies.
Besides agricultural products, community members prepare charcoal, which is primarily sold in Dar.
After surveying the energy usage in the area, we went up the hill to visit a secondary school, which serves 300 students between the ages of 12-18. The class size is typically 40, and some students travel 4-6 km every day to reach the school premises. Thanks to the generosity of a local NGO, the school is building a dormitory that will house 48 students. School fees are 20,000 TSH.
While the surrounding community gathers its water from bore holes, the school site has three 70,000L water cisterns that collect rainwater from the roofs. The water is then boiled and used for drinking, but, during dry season, when the cisterns are dried up, students fetch water from a borehole two kilometers away.
On top of a delightful day of information gathering, I had an absolute blast with the kids. They loved the camera and were eager to showcase sophisticated dance moves and spontaneously arranged themselves into the warrior pose. More than usual, the kids ran around singing ‘mzungu mzungu,’ which means white person. Emmanuel and I are reminded of being a white person on a daily basis; Jamie is often called ‘mchina’ (Chinaman).
Warrior pose
-Alla
