Mayan Power and Light

It's our third award this year! 

Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association selected our Solar School Computer Lab project with the community of Tiritibol as an exemplary project in the field of renewable energy!

In 2018, ATC and community volunteers installed solar power to electrify classrooms and run a laptop computer lab at Tiritibol Primary School - a village 3 hours away from the nearest high school. 

It was a true collaborative project: supporters in the US donated used laptops; volunteers brought them down, donors covered installation costs, the community covered food and locally available materials.

The high level of participation from the community ensured the project's long term sustainability. They set up a Solar Committee, in charge of maintaining the system and managing a savings account for replacement parts.  The school teachers and Parent's Association helped install the system so several community leaders had an in-depth understanding of the technology.

The goal was to teach 180 rural school children how to type so they could access the same modern education of their urban counterparts. With basic computer skills, rural kids have a chance at high school, professional jobs, and university to break out of poverty.

In a follow-up visit 3 months ago, we returned to find that the laptop computers are not only teaching children how to type, but they began a distance high school program online! 

This year the first 7 teenagers are going to high school in their rural village, and that number is going to keep growing every year as their younger siblings get a head start with computer classes. 

PS: Still trying to remember the other two awards this year?

• In June we won the Energy Globe Award for Guatemala innovative solutions to climate change. 
• In October we won the American Made Solar Prize for designing a 20-year solar kit. 

Links:

• Our Website