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Children can study by lanterns powered by play |
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| Description |
Empower Playgrounds, Inc. is focused on improving rural education opportunities in Africa by by providing playground equipment that generates electricity from children at play, and portable LED lanterns used in dark classrooms and night-time study groups. |
| Primarily For
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Energy |
| Other Purposes
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Children, Education, Energy, Environmental, Environmental Preservation, Innovation, Sustainability |
| Climate |
N/A |
| Emphasis |
Communities, Education |
| Effort to Implement
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Moderate |
| Maximum Cost |
$
3000 |
| Why |
Ghanaian children in rural villages are expected to help with farming and cooking between the end of school and nighttime, so they are often unable to do their homework. Less than five percent of Ghanaian children in rural public schools pass their exam to make it to high school.
Empower Playgrounds Incorporated (EPI) is a 501(c)3 public charity focused on improving education in these rural villages.
EPI designs, builds, installs, and maintains playground equipment at rural public schools in Ghana. The equipment captures the kinetic energy of children at play. The energy is stored in a car battery and later transferred to portable LED lanterns.
EPI gives each school 18 to 30 lanterns, depending on the size of the school. School rooms can be very dark, especially during the rainy season. Using EPI lanterns when necessary in the classrooms reduces eye strain. EPI lanterns serve as a further catalyst for learning as children take them home after school to provide light for their after-dark studies.
EPI currently has six electricity-generating merry-go-rounds installed at rural schools in Ghana, as well as an electricity-generating zip-line at the fabrication shop in Ghana. The first model of an electricity-generating swing set is at BYU-Idaho and will be built in Ghana in 2009. |
| URL(s) |
http://www.empowerplaygrounds.org
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| Availability Limits |
Primarily in Ghana at this time |
| Resources |
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| Email |
info@empowerplaygrounds.org |
