Solar Energy International August workshop features WE CARE Solar Suitcase Training
Wed, 07/07/2010 - 11:07 — lestachel
This summer, Solar Energy International instructors in Colorado are training teachers and photovoltaic enthusiasts to assemble the Solar Suitcase in partnership with WE CARE Solar. In June, high school and college teachers from around the country learned to create our portable solar energy kits from Soozie Lindbloom (SEI) and Hal Aronson (WE CARE Solar) as part of a renewable energy workshop for educators. Their efforts resulted in FIVE new solar suitcases. The workshop was truly fun received with great enthusiasm.
Solar Suitcases spreading light around the world
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 10:55 — lestachel
In the last month, we've sent solar suitcases to three continents! Villanova Students from Philadelphia brought a suitcase to a health promotor in Nicaragua in May. Next, WE CARE Solar volunteer Irene Abaji brought a solar suitcase to a hospital in Kenya. And, the same week we sent three solar suitcases with photographer Gloria Upchurch to Tanzania. The photo shows Gloria introducing the suitcase to Bashay primary school. We also equipped Adam Thompson from ehealth Nigeria with an expanded solar suitcase. He'll be using our suitcase to power electronic medical record systems in Nigeria.
WE CARE Solar joins Solar Energy International to promote Solar Education for Teachers
Wed, 05/19/2010 - 18:37 — lestachel
Solar Energy International is offering a highly recommended teacher training workshop in Carbondale, Colorado that includes building WECARE solar suitcases with Hal Aronson, the co-founder of WE CARE Solar and creator of the remarkable system. The three-day Advanced Renewable Energy for Educators workshop (June 28-30) focuses on three in-depth projects for teaching students in the classroom and outdoors. See this link: http://www.solarenergy.org/workshop/advanced-renewable-energy-educators-.... Every workshop participant will complete each project as part of a small group.
Time, Patience and Hope
Sun, 05/02/2010 - 14:04 — lestachel
We arrived on Thursday morning in Port-au-Prince and were struck by the overwhelming heat, poverty, and destruction. As we drive through the city of Port-au-Prince we see piles of rubble where homes once stood, other structures damaged beyond repair, and the relics of once magnificent cathedrals and palaces. Some of these buildings look like archeological ruins – it is hard to fathom that they were thriving institutions a few months ago. Some families with intact homes have taken to sleeping on the roof, rather than risking their lives were another earthquake to occur.
WE CARE Solar becomes 2010 GSVC Winner!
Sat, 04/24/2010 - 12:22 — lestachel
We are thrilled to announce that we are winners of the 2010 Global Social Venture Competition - Social Impact Assessment Competition. Our team was led by Abhay Nihalani, a talented 2nd year MBA-MPH student at Haas Business School, and included Mike MacHarg, MBA; Almaz Negash, MBA; Melissa Ho, a PhD candidate who conducted field tests in Uganda for us last year; and co-founders Hal Aronson and Laura Stachel. The award followed months of hard work, many sleepless nights, and the efforts of many generous volunteers.
Lighting up births in Haiti
Sat, 04/10/2010 - 03:17 — lestachel
One of our suitcases went to the Haitian Health Foundation, a non-profit serving over 100 mountain villages near Jeremie, Haiti. They are using the solar suitcase to provide overhead and mobile lighting for childbirth, and sent us pictures and a note explaining how much the headlamps are helping their midwives and birth attendants. "The lights are amazing," we were told, "but we wish we had 100 more." The picture you see here shows two LED lights set up for a birth in an area with NO electricity.
WE CARE Solar soars....
Fri, 04/09/2010 - 00:48 — lestachel
It's been an exciting month for the social enterprise team at WE CARE Solar. We're finalists in the Global Social Venture Competition, the largest and oldest student-led business plan competition that supports the creation of businesses that bring about positive social change in a sustainable manner. Out of more than 500 entrants, WE CARE Solar was selected as one of 16 finalists for its social impact! We'll be presenting our social impact assessment on April 23rd at the Brower Center in Berkeley.
We Care Solar: Saving Mothers & Infants with Solar Powered Lights and Communication
Sun, 03/14/2010 - 22:22 — hpatschGoing Global
Wed, 03/10/2010 - 09:14 — lestachel
It's hard to believe that in less than a year, we've been responsible for placing solar suitcases in no less than 9 countries! We have sent seven solar suitcases to Haiti for medical relief efforts. Feedback from two medical teams has suggests that these portable, immediately operational units are a great help to health care teams working under challenging conditions. One group, the Enoch Choi Foundation, is providing medical care in a tent city serving 100,000 people. Their needs for energy are so great that we are augmenting our solar suitcase with bigger solar modules and an inverter.
Send off for first suitcases for Haiti
Sun, 01/24/2010 - 04:41 — lestachel
Well, it's been a very busy week, but we finally have completed our first batch of suitcases for Haiti relief efforts. Our home has been transformed into an obstacle course of solar panels, batteries, charge controllers, LED lights, and other essential items for lighting and communication. We're packing these cases with overhead LED lights, battery chargers, LED headlamps, and BOGO lights, the solar powered flashlights that entranced the hospital staff in Nigeria last month. We translated our instruction manual into French, and soon, Creole.
