We’re delighted to share that the Grundfos direct current water pump and solar panels were installed at the school on March 11th and are working very well!  Bona shared some photos and videos of the pump installation, and of the students expressing their thanks.

While the price of the pump and solar panels increased significantly over the course of the project, the currency exchange rate also shifted in our favor.  Amazingly enough, costs for the purchase, transportation and installation came in significantly under budget at $3,157.51. 

Nigeria has seen the price of diesel “skyrocket” in recent years. Diesel was 250 Niara per litre in 2018 and is over 1,350 Niara per litre this year, over five times as much, so the business case for the project just kept getting stronger.

We plan to put the remaining funds towards a storage battery the school can use to save electricity from some existing solar panels for times when the sun isn’t shining. The battery will be used to power the school’s classroom, hallway and washroom lights as well as for running biology lab microscopes and charging electronic devices. 

We want to say a big thank-you for helping make this happen – and know that Bona and the students want to share their thanks as well.