International Projects
Club Sponsored Project Wins International Award
Member's Daughter Leads Solar Power Effort
Early this year when Anupama Rao, Twelfth Grade student from Hollis-Brookline High School and daughter of Club Member Venu and Gautami Rao, learned about an opportunity to help provide Photo-Voltaic (PV) Solar power to a Boys Hostel in Anaikatti, a remote village in India, her advocacy for this project was relentless.
Being continents apart, her parents’ suggestion to send money to help the project wouldn’t satisfy her. “This is not just a solar project, we are talking about quality of life for hundreds of students and countless future students” was her argument.
Anu’s parents contacted the local solar contractors and selected a highly recommended Sun+ Global Energy Systems, Bangalore, India. Sun+ Global Energy Systems evaluated the Boys Hostel electrical requirements and provided a robust modular and scalable design solution of PV Solar System for Indian Rupees equivalent to $6000.00.
The electrical need, the solar solution, its cost, and its positive social impacts were presented to Hollis-Brookline Rotary Club and to Rotary Coimbatore Spectrum, in India. With the financial support from both the clubs and Rao’s family financial support the PV Solar Project was completed in June, 2012 and was it inaugurated on August 15, 2012 (India’s Independence Day).
Anu teamed up with two of her friends, Avvinash Radakrishnan (Senior, Nashua High School South), and Anjithaa Radakrishan (Junior, Bishop Guertin High School) and worked with Sun+ Global Energy Systems in collecting all the project data, before and after pictures, and video of the project in progress. Anu, Anji and Avvin reported the project progress to the HB Rotary Club.
Anu, Anji, and Avvin also found an opportunity to submit the project for an International Sustainable Energy competition called The Green Apple Award. The Green Organization (a non-profit organization) of London, England is responsible for the Green Apple Awards. One of the criteria for winning the award is the measure of positive social impact the project has created.
Anaikatti Boys Hostel PV Solar Project won The Green Apple Award and, on November 12, 2012, Anu, Anji, Avvin travelled to London to collect their awards at House of Commons.
Congratulations to all!