JP Solar Power Initiative

Liberia currently has a population of roughly 4.6 million people. It is estimated that 38% of the population has an income of less than $1.90 a day. For many Liberians, acquiring access to a consistent supply of electricity remains a major challenge. With the electrical grid covering only central areas, over 75% of the country is left reliant on electricity produced by fuel powered generators. There is significant potential for the use of renewable energy, particularly solar energy. Liberia has one of the world’s most expensive electricity tariffs (3 times the price of regional neighbors Ghana and Nigeria), an expense which is detrimental to the small and medium enterprises trying to operate in Liberia. Businesses and schools which use generators face equally high bills from the fuel costs, maintenance expenses and spare parts necessary to keep the generators functioning.

When we moved to Liberia, getting electricity was our biggest and most costly challenge. If you happen to live in the small area on the grid, electricity is expensive and unreliable. For those outside the grid area, most rely on generators or go without. Fuel is expensive, so running a generator is costly, not to mention hazardous.

I can tell you from personal experience what it’s like to teach with a generator running at school. The generator is located outside of the school building, but the fumes still reach the majority of the classrooms. The hazards of those fumes alone are reason enough to find an alternative power source. Add to that the noise from the generator. At times I have to shout over the noise so my students can hear me, or stop instruction altogether and give classwork.

The John Parker Solar Initiative (aka Parker Power) will give us an opportunity to address this problem. Our goal is to help schools by providing them with basic solar power systems. Each system will run lights, fans, and computers for a school of about 500 students and cost approximately $9,800. We will install the first system at J.D. Kimber School in Brewerville. The more funds we raise, the more schools we can help.

John Parker was one of a kind. He was adopted by The Parker Family at birth. It was never lost on John how lucky he was to have been given such wonderful parents. John never met a stranger and never refused to help anyone in need. He also had a lust for knowledge. Because of this, we feel this initiative is a perfect way to honor John’s life. We lost John too soon due to complications with diabetes at age 50. If you would like to join us in remembering John, as well as improve education in Liberia, please donate at www.threeriversoutreach.org or TRO, PO Box 1658, Mount Pleasant, SC 29465.

*Parker Power is a Three Rivers Outreach project.