Basic information about the project
|
Objectives:
|
To improve the quality of education and other services in rural communities with the help of solar energy, as well as to boost job opportunities for young people
|
|
Target groups:
|
220 rural schools, intercultural bilingual educational centres, community centres; 120 young people (indirectly 358,448 people) in three provinces of Ecuador
|
|
Location:
|
Chimborazo, Tungurahua and Bolivar provinces in Ecuador
|
|
Duration:
|
2009- 2011 (3 years)
|
|
Local partner:
|
|
|
More info:
|
|
|
|
|
This three-year project aims to tackle the extreme poverty, underemployment and high illiteracy rates in the rural communities of Ecuador. The project is implemented jointly by the Finnish Children and Youth Foundation (FCYF) and its local partner organization in Ecuador, Fundación Esquel. The project is supported by funding from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland to the development cooperation projects of NGOs.
Objectives
The long-term development objective of the project is to contribute to the sustainable community development in rural areas of Ecuador. The direct objective is to improve the quality of education and other services in rural communities with the help of solar energy as well as by increasing job opportunities for young people.
Target group/beneficiaries
A total of 220 schools, intercultural bilingual educational centres and (other) community centres will be direct beneficiaries of the project. In addition, 120 young people will benefit directly from professional training in the installation and maintenance of solar panels and will thus have access to an income-generating job. The project will indirectly benefit the people living in the rural areas of the counties in which the panels are installed, totaling 358.446 people in the Chimborazo, Tungurahua, and Bolivar provinces.
Implementation/Results
Preparatory phases of the project include collecting of necessary baseline data and preparation of the technical diagnosis on the areas of intervention. An EU level procurement announcement is made for the acquisition of the solar panels and the procurement is made accordingly. The next implementation phase consists of the installation of the solar panels. This includes the selection of youth and their training in the use and maintenance of the panels, work in the computer labs and computer centres, as well as the actual installation of the panels. An agreement will be made with the Radiophone School of Riobamba about the dissemination of the experience and knowledge that the project has produced.
The project will have two main results:
1. Teachers and pupils of targeted rural schools have benefited of e-learning programs and other teaching materials available in internet, through provision of electricity by solar panels enabling the use of computers. Bilingual educational centres can also offer better services to people.
2. New job opportunities have been created for youth. Knowledge about opportunities arising from renewable energy is shared with the beneficiaries and with larger public.
For more information on the project, please click here (link to the project plan)
