SOLAR AFRICA GRADUATION

Solar Africa, on behalf of Solar Mtaani management and the director Mrs. Abigael Okello, invited the WREPA team to the graduation ceremony for Solar Africa's Pioneering class of 2022, which was held on the 20th of December, 2022, at the Kabete Rehabilitation Students' Hall from 10am to 1 pm. It was actually the first batch of students ever in the programme (the programme began this year) to graduate in T1 level. Solar learning is being used to inform end users about the advantages of solar energy and sustainable energy generation, and have started a consumer education campaign which is also free. Additionally, this addresses the urgent demand for affordable, nearby training in solar installation and associated fields. Solar mtaani had to team up with the government of Kenya to operate it in the two institutions(Dagoretti approved and lower kabete approved).

We managed to interview some of the top students in the course to know and understand their experience .there was a total of 28 students, where 15 were from the lower kabete approved and 13 were external, where 4 girls were from the Dagoretti approved and the others consisted of mostly school dropouts who were given another chance. The lady students' top-ranked had gone by the name Karen Murugi, she was awarded a solar lamp for her good work.

The course consisted of 1 unit, three levels which are T1,T2 and T3(where they finished both T1 and T2 but did only T1 exams).some of the reasons as to why the scholars chose the course they said were like;

1. One said she dreamt on being on being a nurse, but after meeting Abigael, the Solar

Mtaani manager and director, who introduced her to the programme, she immediately

changed her mind and saw it as a better opportunity

2. They said opportunities are a lot in the solar industry for not to many people are of

knowledge of it

3. For the vision of the country, solar energy is peaking and not many women are in the

industry.

They also talked on why solar energy is better than any energy to use and they were;

1. Its warranty is quite long, a maximum of 25 years

2. It is expensive to install, but in the long run it is cheaper to maintain

3. It would help to reduce poverty in communities in different ways i.e the scholar is able to

get job opportunities in installing the solar.

The programme will be beneficial for the country because solar is the future. The only issues

being faced now by the programme is lack of funds to provide transport for the scholars in

Dagoretti approved whom due to this, 4 of them were unable to do their exams and may be

forced to start over. A waste of 7 months but they can use some of the knowledge they gained

to better their skills as they restart the course. But as the programme continues to grow,

problems like this will be found ways to be implemented.