Time to Reflect

I thought it would be appropriate to produce one final blog entry from the beaches of Zanzibar as my time in Tanzania dwindles.  To say the least, my stay in Africa was enlightening.  I have been inspired by the triumphs of the disadvantaged Tanzanians I encountered that have accomplished so much with so little.  As an American citizen from a supportive family, I have been given every advantage and living in a third world country has made me reconsider my perception of hard work.  I complain about long hours at work and in the library while Tanzania children need to beg for money for books and internet access.  Also, I feel very fortunate to be healthy.  Many Tanzanians are plagued by illness induced disabilities because they lack first world medicinal facilities.  For example, we stayed at an NGO (non-government organization) ran hotel called Neema Cafe.  The owners of the cafe employ disabled Tanzanians that are otherwise outcast from society.  One of the workers at the hotel was crippled by Polio and his only means of moving was by dragging himself across dirty walkways and roads.  I cannot begin to imagine how difficult it would be to spend a day in his life.  Naturally, I plan to use my new perspective as motivation to continue to work hard and to take advantage of my uniquely comfortable existence.

My support of solar energy has grown throughout the trip.  I have now seen firsthand the potential impact solar could make on the world and I am more confident then ever in the technology.  Zanzibar has proven to be a stomping ground for potential business transactions.  The island is fed electricity from the mainland via submerged cables coming from a power plant in Dar es Salaam.  However, the power is inconsistent and will go out several times a week. Also, we were informed that one of the cables shorted last year and Zanzibar was without power for 3 months.  Our extremely well connected Muslim translator, Roxy, has already introduced us to multiple business owners interested in solar.  These meetings have been interesting experiences and I am always impressed by the respect that the islanders have for American engineers.  We had one the other day with Hassan, the owner of Mercury's restaurant (one of the most popular restaurants in Zanzibar named after Freddy Mercury of Queen whom was born in Zanzibar) and the man responsible for 80% of the imported/exported alcohol on the Island.  He told us some crazy stories and then said that if we were really interested in starting a solar company on the Island that he would pull some strings to make sure we would get the contract to equip the parliament building with PV panels.  It was exciting to partake in such an interesting conversation, but it would be careless not to question the sincerity of these types of claims.  Regardless, I am inspired by the amount of people interested in solar and I am thankful to have been able to practice my business negotiating in such a surreal environment.

This trip has given me a new perspective on the world.  I feel that I owe it to myself and to the millions of people less fortunate then me to take full advantage of my situation.  I am in the position to accomplish all my goals through hard work, a luxury that many will never have.  I cannot thank my friends and family enough for their support.  Knowing that so many good people approved of and promoted this trip makes me feel extremely lucky.  I hope everyone enjoyed the blog updates and I urge you to contact me if you want any pictures or if you have questions about the trip.

-Asante Sana

Mfiome Dispensary Installation and A Walking Safari

Last week I was the lead engineer for the groups solar installation at the Mfiome dispensary in the Iringa region of Tanzania. I originally planned to design the system for the Mlowa dispensary, but we discovered that the government will to provide Mlowa with grid power in the future.  Thus, I was assigned the Mfiome dispensary that lies 50km north of Iringa and serves 3,200 residents.  I sized the Mfiome system to provide 3 cell phone chargers, 14 lights, and stand-by power for a vaccine refrigerator. We arrived at the site around 10am and we were finished by 4pm.  The installation went smoothly despite taking slightly longer then usual due to a wiring dilemma.  Unlike most of the buildings we have worked on, the concrete walls ran all the way to the roof.  Therefore we were forced to run our wiring outside of the building to provide light to the birthing room and several other high priority areas.  Despite the minor setback, my team worked great together and we were very efficient.  Cayleigh and Paul completed the racking, Mike and Chris worked on the electrical components, Lura instructed the nurses on maintanance and troubleshooting,and Donald entertained the children with his laptop. I have included the group photo that we took underneath our solar panel upon site completion.

The past week was great for extracurricular activities as well.  We stayed the night at Ruaha national park and went on both a driving and walking safari. I really enjoyed my safari experience the second time around.  We went on an evening game drive and witnessed a lion stalking a giraffe and an authentic African sunset.  That night We stayed in bungalows protected by guards armed with semiautomatic rifles.  The campsite was serene and swarming with hippos, elephants, and an occasional lion.  To say the least, there were many nervous mazungu's (white people) around the campfire that night.  The next morning we woke up early to go on a walking safari.  Once again, we were accompanied by armed guards and everyone was on edge, especially when the guards informed us that the week before we arrived a park ranger was killed by a hippo. The walk was surreal and we captured some impressive photos.  Jake has let me pirate a few of his photos for your viewing pleasure.  Sorry for the delayed update, Iringa's internet has been out for the past few days.  We will complete our installations and evaluations sometime next week and I plan to post one last blog update from Zanzibar, my final stop before heading back to the US.

Dance Off with the Maasai

Our group has packed an unbelievable amount of experiences into the first week in Africa-land.  After leaving Dar Es Salaam, we stopped by Maasai country for a traditional warrior dancing ceremony and some tasty food in the village of Changa Likwa.  Last years group did a few installations in the area and we planned to evaluate their systems.  Thus far, my favorite Tanzanian experience has been our stay in this traditional Maasai village. The Maasai way of life is both impressive and enticing.They adhere to a strict honor code that complies with other high discipline cultures throughout the world.  The village elders are revered and the village is maintained by the Morani warriors.These warriors are responsible for protecting the village, herding the cattle, and disciplining the children.  Also, the Morani facilitate the traditional "jump dancing" ceremonies that have made these people famous throughout the world.  These ceremonies are really just one big dance off where males try to impress the young females, pretty typical stuff.  In short, the male warriors form a circle and they all begin to create a rhythmical beat through monotone chanting.  Then the warriors take turns entering the circle to demonstrate their jumping skills individually or in competing pairs.  Once the ceremonies began, I immediately succumbed to my desire to partake in the most intense dance off I have ever experienced.  I was a little shy at first, but by the end of the night I was in full Morani attire and was continually pushed into the middle of the circle.  The experience was eerily similar to dance offs in the Wake Forest locker room.  I must thank my sister, Chelsey, for recommending that I bring colored pencils for the children.  Before we left, the children all gave me completed drawings and thank you cards for our work.  I have included a picture of them handing me the drawings.  

The following day I said bye to my new Maasai friends and we set off for Iringa to complete several installations and evaluations.  On the way, we were provided with a free half-day safari courtesy of the Tanzanian government.  Although we saw lions, hippos, crocs, and elephants, I was disappointed in the zoo-like nature of the viewing.  The security of our land rover resulted in a false sense of domestication and a loss of excitement.  Nonetheless, it was amazing to see those animals in their natural habitat.  I have included some pictures of the safari and a picture of me doing a gainer into a fresh water mountain lake that we stopped to cool off in.  I am still curious about what kind of creatures I may have been swimming with.  The last stop before our current residence in Iringa was a large school and dispensary 30 minutes outside of Iringa, where we set a new Solar Hope record of 3 installations in one day.  It was amazing to see how happy the children were to have light.  We installed to systems on an elementary school and one installation on a high school.  The hard work was immediately rewarded as Children rushed the light to begin studying for an upcoming exam as soon as we finished.  I have included a few pictures of the days work.  Thanks again for all the support and to those who helped me make this trip possible.  

First Update from Tanzania

I have now been in Tanzania, or more specifically Dar Es Salaam, for three days and I already have more stories then I could possibly fit in one blog post.  The trip here was very long to say the least (30 hours) and the airplane hopping was an adventure in itself.  Our flights took us from Portland to Chicago to DC to Ethiopia, and finally Dar Es Salaam.  The flights taught me a lot about international travel, most importantly, US airlines suck.  All the united flights were cramped and crappy, yet the Ethiopian airline flights included individual LCD screens with a large movie selection, authentic meals, and free drinks (including beer and wine).  To add to the Ethiopian airlines lure, our plane was struck by lightning upon takeoff and we continued on for the next 12 hours unfazed.  Despite the high quality international flight, I was more than relieved to land in my new short term home, Tanzania. 

                I was greeted at the airport by Lura (Solar Hope’s program director) and our ever faithful Tanzanian guide, Peter.  We arrived in the afternoon and after we dropped our bags off at the hotel we were taken to a coco beach restaurant for our first authentic Tanzanian experience.  I ordered a delicious fish dinner that included fried rice, steamed vegetables, and fresh tuna.  Dr. Petrovich, Solar Hope’s founder, met us at the beach to welcome us to the country.  The atmosphere was jovial as everyone was relieved and excited to finally have arrived in Tanzania.  Soon after dinner Roxanne (Roxy, a US and Tanzanian citizen that will be accompanying us for parts of our trip), took a group of us out for some group bonding at a hooka bar.  Overall, I had a great time my first day and I was immediately reassured of my decision to volunteer with Solar Hope. 

                Despite my pleasant experiences on the first day, I do not want to glamorize third world living.  The roads here are terrible and the drivers are worse.  Traffic laws are non-existent and drivers scurry around the city franticly without concern for others on the road.  Homeless Beggars line the streets, some handicap and some merely children.  The poor stalk any Mazungu (white people) they see hoping for charity and you cannot blame them.  The living conditions here are terrible and many Tanzanians are in survival mode, relying on an average of US $600 a year to support their families.  Due to a lack of police officers, petty criminals are subject to the punishment provided by their fellow citizens. For example, peter told us to yell “Maweezy” (thief) if we are pick-pocketed and everyone will stop to look around for the criminal.  However, one must be careful not to wrongly accuse.  The punishment for petty theft is death and when a Maweezy is caught an old tire is placed around them and lit on fire.

                To say that yesterday (the 19^th of August 19, 2011) was more rewarding than most would be an understatement.  I was scheduled to perform a site evaluation and maintenance check at an installation that was completed last year.  Upon arrival, our team (3 engineers, 3 technicians, and myself) learned that the roof the solar panel was originally attached to had completely blow off last February.  The villagers had salvaged the materials from last year’s installation and already picked out a new building for their system.  Thus, what was supposed to be a routine system check turned into an 8 hour complete system installation.  I was team leader this trip and immediately divided the team into 2 groups.  One group was designated the solar racking and charge controller and the other group was assigned the electrical wiring and lighting.  They were many unforeseen difficulties that were overcome through engineering improvisation and as the sun set on the African horizon Paul and Cayleigh tied the last lighting wires together.  We all held our breath as the battery was plugged into the charge controller and we cheered in relief as the building lit up.  That moment was more than worth any sacrifices that I made to come to Tanzania.  The villagers rushed to the building and were cheering us on as we worked and congratulated us when the lights came on.  It was amazing to see how happy a simple lighting system made the townspeople.  Outside of sports I had never experience the emotional high that you get from that level of accomplishment.  The best way that I can describe it is the feeling you get when you hit a home run or when you score a bunch of points in a basketball game. 

                My three days in Tanzania have already taught me many lessons.  Most importantly, be grateful for what you have and keep things in perspective.  Despite all the hardships they face, the majority of the people here seem just as happy as Americans.  Living here has made me realize just how good I have it and how lucky I am to have friends and family to support me.  I will report back again soon and I can only hope that the next few days will go as well as the last few. 

Seaside Next Weekend, Tanzania Next Monday

Hello Kiddos,

I have one week of work left and then I am off to begin my journey to the heart of lion land, i.e. Tanzania.  I refuse to use the phase 'time flies' as it is quite played out, but I must admit that I am amazed the trip is only one week away.  After 6 vaccinations, a few crucial eBay purchases, and a couple trips to Goodwill I believe that I have done all I can to prepare for my departure.  Despite my preparation efforts Dr. Petrovic has made it clear that improvisation will be critical to the success of our installations.  Due to the lack of communication there will be many unplanned obstacles throughout the expedition and we must adapt to the circumstances.  I am looking forward to the challenge and the great stories that will come out of our hardships.

This summer has already been very eventful and that trend will continue over the next week.  This past weekend my team and I finished 2nd in the Portland Street Jam, next week I give my final research symposium, and next weekend I play in the countries largest amateur beach volleyball tournament with my brother and then I fly out on Sunday night for Africa.  I am thankful that I get to spend some time with my brother before I leave and I hope he has some good advice for me.  Goodbye for now and I am excited to say that my next update will be from Africa.  Thanks again for all the support and any last minute donations will be much appreciated, the more money we get the more people we can help when we get there.

-Asante Sana

Prepare for Adventure

The flight is booked and the date is set, I will leave August 15th and return September 17th. My excitement grows with every passing day. Oddly enough, I find that I am most excited for the aspects of the trip that would typically cause others to have second thoughts. Yesterday we learned that we will be sleeping on hut floors and we must build a water purifier for drinking water while staying with the Maasai people in Northern Tanzania. I am excited by and drawn to the challenge of roughing it in the Serengeti and the once in a lifetime opportunity I have to experience this rich culture. The Maasai are best known for their competitive jump dancing (which I fully plan to take part in) and lion hunting, however, we should all be inspired by the diligence which they have shown in the preservation of their way of life. Essentially, these people have been telling the developed world thanks but no thanks for the past 50 years. I am an extremely lucky person and I am thankful for all the amazing things I have been given in this world, yet, a part of me will always envy the warrior way of life. I am confident that the solar installations we provide will help the Maasai maintain their independence and will empower them to continue to preserve their unique society. Thanks again to everyone who has supported the cause. The more donations I get the more people we can help.


Bounce

The Argument for Solar

For rural Tanzanians, access to electricity can mitigate many daily hardships and can immediately provide a drastic increase to their quality of life.  I recently read an interview from theworld.org where a Tanzanian women describes the role that solar electricity has played in her life.  The woman tells the interviewer a sad story about a young school child who fell asleep studying with her candle lit and it caught her bed on fire, killing the child and 14 other children.  Also, she tells of doctors that perform emergency medical procedures at night by holding flashlights in their mouths for light, promoting pathogen exposure.  There is a seemingly endless list of specific ways in which electricity can increase ones quality of life, many of which we fail to realize because we take electricity for granted.

It is obvious that a rural society can benefit from electrification and I believe that the best part about it is that it enables communication to the outside world.  Without electricity villagers are burdened with the challenge of charging their portable electronic devices and without these devices they have no link to the outside world.  It all goes back to the old proverb "'give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." Communication is fundamental to learning and it provides people with a means to access an unlimited source of information.  Thus, electrification enables communication which enables learning and now the Tanzanians have the power to control their own destiny.  The work I plan to do with Solar Hope this summer will enable Tanzanians to learn and unlike traditional forms of humanitarian aid, it will provide them with a means to help themselves.  

I have included a fun video for your enjoyment.  

New Profile Page and Donation Meter Added to Solar Hope Website

Just wanted to let everyone know that Solar Hope has added my profile page to their website and now donations can be made directly through Solar Hope.  Also, they have included a donation meter which makes this whole process even more enjoyable.  I cannot thank you enough for your support thus far.  Please feel free to visit the Solar Hope website and my new page.  The group has been meeting regularly now and I am getting more and more excited for the trip.  Next week I will begin to work with our translator to rewrite the solar installation instruction manuals in Swahili.  This will help the Tanzanians to maintain their systems long after we leave.  Also, I have begun to design my system based on the power consumption specifications that were sent to me from the hospital.  I will get the details posted as soon as I work them out.   Here is a picture from the donation meter on the Solar Hope website.  As you can see, I have already raised $1,155.  A big thank goes out to everyone who has helped.    

I have officially raised the first $1,000! Thank you to all contributors

Hey guys,

I reached the $1,000 mark this past weekend and I have now raised a new total of $1,055!  I wanted to say how much I appreciated your support of this great cause and I cannot thank my friends and families enough for their contributions.  I believe that the charity provided by the Solar Hope team this summer will really improve the lives of thousands of Tanzanians.  I recently received the original application from the townspeople of Mlowa and their requests were humbling.  I have included the hand drawn map of their facility and the electrical equipment they hope to power with my solar installation.  It is difficult to read but they list a microscope, centrifuge, a 165w vaccination fridge, and solar powered examination lights so they can tend to patients at night without dealing with the pollution and danger associated with oil burning lamps.

Hand Drawn Map

New UN Report Foreshadows the Global Expansion of Renewable Energy

Here is a link to a recently released article by an environmental correspondent from Reuters, Alister Doyle.  The article provides a synopsis of the " most comprehensive U.N. overview of the (renewable energy) sector to date".  Basically, the UN report is an all encompassing look at the future development of renewable energy technology (wind, solar, hydro... etc.).  All incomprehensible projections aside, the take home message is that renewable energy is going to grow as technological advances establish economic parity.  Furthermore, mankind has the potential to provide 75% of its total energy consumption using renewable sources by the year 2050.  Exciting?  It depends on your perspective.  Personally, I think that would be an amazing accomplishment for our race.  Momentarily, this is the only planet we have to call home and despite the illusion of limitlessness, earth's natural resources will eventually run out if we continue to use them at the current rate.  That may be hundreds or even thousands of years down the road but the sooner we learn to thrive without expendable resources the sooner we establish the longterm survival of our species.  If you can appreciate that then you can understand the importance of renewable energy, regardless of your stance on global warming.  

Video from "A Night in Africa"

Hey guys and gals, here is a short clip from the performance at our fundraising event "A Night in Africa".  Due to some last minute heroics from the volunteers and organizers, the dinner went very well and everyone seemed to have a good time.  I planned to get a video of the ambassador's speech, however, I was caught off guard and missed the opportunity to position myself for a decent viewing angle.  It was a very inspirational address and it reinforced my determination to take part in this amazing opportunity.  I, like most Americans, take way too many things for granted and I know this experience will give me a much greater appreciation for all that I have.  Enjoy.

Solar Hope Team Sells Out Event "A Night in Africa"

The rest of the volunteers and I were very excited to learn that we have sold all the tickets for our first major fundraising event of the year, "A Night in Africa".  The dinner will feature an authentic drum and dance performance and special guest Her Excellency Ambassador Maajar of Tanzania.  Also, I have just discovered that fellow volunteer Paul Franzosa and I will be the servers for the ambassador's table because we have had previous serving experience.  Wish me luck!

A Night in Africa - Sold Out!

A Night in Africa

On April 14th a dinner is being held to gain recognition and funds. The event, "A night in Africa," is going to be a dinner event with local large businesses, like Nike and Intel, OIT students, and the ambassador of Tanzania.

Here are some details about the event:

Solar Hope in partnership with Oregon Institute of Technology present
A Night in Africa

Sponsored by GLUMAC
Engineers for a Sustainable Future

An evening of African food, music, images and stories from Solar Hope’s projects in Tanzania.

Featuring special guest Her Excellency Ambassador Maajar of Tanzania.

Thursday, Apr 14, 2011, 6:00pm
Ecotrust Natural Capital Center
721 NW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

Join Oregon Institute of Technology students to celebrate the people of Africa, discuss renewable energy and to support the Solar HOPE project in Tanzania that will bring lights to schools and hospitals; and dramatically impact education and health care for thousands of children across the country.

A select number of individual tickets are available for $25 per person.

Sponsorship of solar installation for a school or clinic is encouraged, and includes a reserved table and seating with the ambassador at the event: $2500-$3500.

For tickets and more information visit www.solar-hope.org or email us at info@solar-hope.org. Together, we can bring the gift of light, the promise of hope, and the restoration of faith in humanity to people in Africa.

Asante sana,
Solar HOPE

Trip Update

As the trips nears I will continually report on the status of my fundraising efforts.  Furthermore, I will provide updates on the status of all the installations as frequently as possible while in Tanzania. Besides fundraising, the group of volunteers and I are working hard to ready ourselves for the trip. We are currently figuring out the logistics of getting our donated equipment to Tanzania and we are designing the systems on paper in order to maximize our efficiency while in Africa.  In order to provide the hospital with adequate power, I must design a system that matches the load requirements of the hospital.  To learn more about the engineering aspects of the project please see the "Project" tab.  Also, we have begun weekly Swahili lessons!  A basic understanding of their language and the ability to speak it, albeit brokenly, will help us interact with the villagers and will demonstrate our respect for their culture.

Open Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

This summer I plan to travel to remote parts of Tanzania to help design and install solar energy systems on schools and medical clinics.  This trip is the by-product of a multidisciplinary collaboration between the Non-Profit organization Solar Hope and my current school, Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT).  Each summer a group of 10-15 student volunteers spend a month in Tanzania, traveling from remote village to remote village installing renewable energy systems that will power both schools and hospitals.  Also, each student is assigned a project site that they are designated the lead engineer for and I have been assigned to a hospital in the town of Mlowa. 
            The nearly 8,000 residents of Mlowa are without electricity and any reliable forms of transportation, hindering their medicinal capabilities and access to clean water.  A solar electricity system will radically transform their quality of life.  For example, access to electricity will allow them to operate a vaccine refrigerator and a microscope for virus identification, pump their own potable water (instead of traveling miles by foot to the nearest lake), and charge their electronic equipment (cell phones and laptops are carried by foot on a weekly basis to towns miles away).  Charging of electronic equipment may seem trivial in the scheme of things; however, cell phones and laptops are vital to the community’s education system and are their only resource for medicinal education and the outside world. 
            There are many obstacles that coincide with a trip of this magnitude and the most obvious is financing.  Each volunteer is responsible for raising a base of $3,500 to purchase equipment for their project site and to fund any other costs associated with getting the supplies there and getting the systems installed.  Furthermore, I am still in the process of fundraising and I am hoping that I can gain some support for this great cause through my blog.  As previously stated, the site that I will be the lead engineer is the hospital in the isolated village of Mlowa.  The total cost of the solar system needed to power the hospital is $3,500 and the installation will not be possible if I cannot raise these fund.
            I would never commit to something of this scale unless I felt it was meaningful and important. Hopefully you share that sentiment and I will keep the blog fresh with updates for any of you that are interested in following the project. 

I sincerely thank you for your support. 

Matthew "Foo" Smith