Solar power for rural Cambodia

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Duncan
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by Duncan »

cpandrea wrote: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:04 pm Hey
I visit a few times per year a small government primary school in the Cardamom Mountain of a very poor village. I support the school there and no NGO is operating in that area regularly.
The school is in a off-grid area and I´m thinking with friends to support the school to get electricity from solar panel to use a TV and DVD-player to play English DVD. In that area are not English native speaker and the teachers don’t speak English at all or just a little bit. Thereby the kids could learn/improve English a little bit. I could maybe find some used lap top to donate to the school. I cannot buy desk-top, because the school don’t have a dedicated computer room or the space for it.

Also, the solar system must connect 1 TV and 1 DVD-player or 10 lap top at the same time. The TV and lap top will be used only during the daylight time, in this case is even necessary to have the battery ?
The upgrading with a battery could extend the use of school building in the evening sometime for community related use too.
The first step I want to check, if it is possible financially to do that, because I don’t want to grow up false expectations in that community.

Is it possible for someone to put together for me the specification for a solar system to supply the TV and lap tops and the approximate price in Cambodia for it
thanks
It's all a good idea, but it's not going to work in practice if you understand the attitude of ''uneducated '' villagers. That is unless you have some barang student willing to stay there and constantly oversea it.
Why not set up a house for backpackers to stay for free in exchange for a few hours teaching.
Alternatively , you are best to pick out the brightest students and financially support them to a go to a school in one of the larger centers.
There is no sense in spending money and time in educating all the kids to speak English, as no matter how much you try , with some of them their destiny will be doing menial jobs where no education is needed. Pick out the best and help them.
Cambodia,,,, Don't fall in love with her.
Like the spoilt child she is, she will not be happy till she destroys herself from within and breaks your heart.
explorer
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by explorer »

cpandrea wrote: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:04 pm I visit a few times per year a small government primary school in the Cardamom Mountain of a very poor village. I support the school there and no NGO is operating in that area regularly.
The school is in a off-grid area and I´m thinking with friends to support the school to get electricity from solar panel to use a TV and DVD-player to play English DVD. In that area are not English native speaker and the teachers don’t speak English at all or just a little bit. Thereby the kids could learn/improve English a little bit. I could maybe find some used lap top to donate to the school. I cannot buy desk-top, because the school don’t have a dedicated computer room or the space for it.

Also, the solar system must connect 1 TV and 1 DVD-player or 10 lap top at the same time. The TV and lap top will be used only during the daylight time, in this case is even necessary to have the battery ?
The upgrading with a battery could extend the use of school building in the evening sometime for community related use too.
The first step I want to check, if it is possible financially to do that, because I don’t want to grow up false expectations in that community.

Is it possible for someone to put together for me the specification for a solar system to supply the TV and lap tops and the approximate price in Cambodia for it
thanks
I have been supporting two small schools in another small town. This town has electricity.

To one school I gave a notebook computer.

To the other school I set up a computer with a TV, as it is bigger than most computer monitors.

I downloaded youtube videos of English lessons and English songs, and installed them on both computers. I even downloaded and installed some funny videos, which give people a laugh.

With these computers they can learn English, Computing, English and Cambodian typing, and even play games, which helps learn Computing. If someone learns computing, I can even teach them to install new software, etc.

The notebook computer sits in the head teachers house and is never used.

The TV sits in the other head teachers house and is only used for watching TV. Watching TV is easier than learning.

Many Cambodians put in a lot less effort than we do. When you try to motivate them, they agree with everything you say, but most dont do it. To help people, you need to see which ones are putting in effort, and just focus on helping them. Dont expect the others to change.

There is also the hierarchy in Cambodian society. Another teacher said she would like to use the computer, but would not dare tell the head teacher, as he is superior to her, and she does not want to upset him. He displays his superiority by using the TV for his personal use, when it was intended for the school. I could push the issue, but most of the others will not put in the effort to use it, so why bother. It is easier to lie in a hammock.

Spend time at the school and see what really goes on. How often are the teachers late? How often are the students late? How often are the teachers absent? How often are the students absent? How much school time is spent playing?

I encourage you to continue helping. But understand what really goes on, and be smart about how you help. You can only help those who put in effort.

You may need to support a school which has one or more foreigners there full time.

What I did was an experiment to see how it would go. I learnt a lot. It was not a huge investment.

Some things work well. For example, I also bought water filters, and now everyone can drink filtered water. There is an immediate benefit. There is no immediate benefit in learning English or computing.
## I thought I knew all the answers, but they changed all the questions. ##
explorer
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by explorer »

A couple more things I did.

I bought bicycles for a few of the poor students. Most of these get used. One girl really wanted a bicycle. Now she has it, she rides an old motorbike her parents own.

I bought headlights for some bicycles. These are flashlights with handlebar clamps. Many of these still get used. The lights are easily removed when not in use.

I bought taillights for some bicycles. Some people were told not to use them as they would get stolen.

The lights all include rechargeable batteries and battery chargers. Dont expect them to buy batteries.

In Cambodia, people get killed riding without lights after dark.
## I thought I knew all the answers, but they changed all the questions. ##
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by Barang chgout »

Were you talking about my town, I would tell you to just throw your money away at home. Don't bother coming here to do it, at the end of the day it may well just leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
I hope you have found a much more grateful and deserving community than mine.
Good luck.

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newkidontheblock
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by newkidontheblock »

It all depends on the recipient. Some will take full advantage of the opportunity to better their lives and other wills just take advantage of you.

For example. my missus’ niece wants missus to buy her the newest iPhone or she won’t go to school.

Pick your recipients carefully.
cpandrea
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by cpandrea »

Barang chgout wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 10:11 pm Were you talking about my town, I would tell you to just throw your money away at home. Don't bother coming here to do it, at the end of the day it may well just leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
I hope you have found a much more grateful and deserving community than mine.
Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk
No it isn't Osoam, no tourist or Barang at all there and maybe the community there is more grateful but not all the people, but I can live with it
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by cpandrea »

that genius wrote: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:22 pm I would imagine rural domestic lighting was a more pressing need.
I support mainly the primary school there but I noticed that some family started with small solar panel for lighting and phone charging
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by cpandrea »

Duncan wrote: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:26 pm
cpandrea wrote: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:04 pm Hey
I visit a few times per year a small government primary school in the Cardamom Mountain of a very poor village. I support the school there and no NGO is operating in that area regularly.
The school is in a off-grid area and I´m thinking with friends to support the school to get electricity from solar panel to use a TV and DVD-player to play English DVD. In that area are not English native speaker and the teachers don’t speak English at all or just a little bit. Thereby the kids could learn/improve English a little bit. I could maybe find some used lap top to donate to the school. I cannot buy desk-top, because the school don’t have a dedicated computer room or the space for it.

Also, the solar system must connect 1 TV and 1 DVD-player or 10 lap top at the same time. The TV and lap top will be used only during the daylight time, in this case is even necessary to have the battery ?
The upgrading with a battery could extend the use of school building in the evening sometime for community related use too.
The first step I want to check, if it is possible financially to do that, because I don’t want to grow up false expectations in that community.

Is it possible for someone to put together for me the specification for a solar system to supply the TV and lap tops and the approximate price in Cambodia for it
thanks
It's all a good idea, but it's not going to work in practice if you understand the attitude of ''uneducated '' villagers. That is unless you have some barang student willing to stay there and constantly oversea it.
Why not set up a house for backpackers to stay for free in exchange for a few hours teaching.
Alternatively , you are best to pick out the brightest students and financially support them to a go to a school in one of the larger centers.
There is no sense in spending money and time in educating all the kids to speak English, as no matter how much you try , with some of them their destiny will be doing menial jobs where no education is needed. Pick out the best and help them.
Thanks for the suggestions
No foreigners there and no backpackers Travellers there. It is not same as Oscar. I am supporting that primary school since 3 years and my goal is to improve the schooling there and that the children don't drop the school too early. English learning or computer learning is not a priority, but it could help.
cpandrea
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by cpandrea »

newkidontheblock wrote: Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:35 pm It all depends on the recipient. Some will take full advantage of the opportunity to better their lives and other wills just take advantage of you.

For example. my missus’ niece wants missus to buy her the newest iPhone or she won’t go to school.

Pick your recipients carefully.
Sure some will just try to take advantage of me but as you say some student can take advantage of a better school. The problem are some adult not the kids.
Strange, but after 3 years I don't know the village chief there.
cpandrea
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Re: Solar power for rural Cambodia

Post by cpandrea »

explorer wrote: Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:33 pm
cpandrea wrote: Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:04 pm I visit a few times per year a small government primary school in the Cardamom Mountain of a very poor village. I support the school there and no NGO is operating in that area regularly.
The school is in a off-grid area and I´m thinking with friends to support the school to get electricity from solar panel to use a TV and DVD-player to play English DVD. In that area are not English native speaker and the teachers don’t speak English at all or just a little bit. Thereby the kids could learn/improve English a little bit. I could maybe find some used lap top to donate to the school. I cannot buy desk-top, because the school don’t have a dedicated computer room or the space for it.

Also, the solar system must connect 1 TV and 1 DVD-player or 10 lap top at the same time. The TV and lap top will be used only during the daylight time, in this case is even necessary to have the battery ?
The upgrading with a battery could extend the use of school building in the evening sometime for community related use too.
The first step I want to check, if it is possible financially to do that, because I don’t want to grow up false expectations in that community.

Is it possible for someone to put together for me the specification for a solar system to supply the TV and lap tops and the approximate price in Cambodia for it
thanks
I have been supporting two small schools in another small town. This town has electricity.

To one school I gave a notebook computer.

To the other school I set up a computer with a TV, as it is bigger than most computer monitors.

I downloaded youtube videos of English lessons and English songs, and installed them on both computers. I even downloaded and installed some funny videos, which give people a laugh.

With these computers they can learn English, Computing, English and Cambodian typing, and even play games, which helps learn Computing. If someone learns computing, I can even teach them to install new software, etc.

The notebook computer sits in the head teachers house and is never used.

The TV sits in the other head teachers house and is only used for watching TV. Watching TV is easier than learning.

Many Cambodians put in a lot less effort than we do. When you try to motivate them, they agree with everything you say, but most dont do it. To help people, you need to see which ones are putting in effort, and just focus on helping them. Dont expect the others to change.

There is also the hierarchy in Cambodian society. Another teacher said she would like to use the computer, but would not dare tell the head teacher, as he is superior to her, and she does not want to upset him. He displays his superiority by using the TV for his personal use, when it was intended for the school. I could push the issue, but most of the others will not put in the effort to use it, so why bother. It is easier to lie in a hammock.

Spend time at the school and see what really goes on. How often are the teachers late? How often are the students late? How often are the teachers absent? How often are the students absent? How much school time is spent playing?

I encourage you to continue helping. But understand what really goes on, and be smart about how you help. You can only help those who put in effort.

You may need to support a school which has one or more foreigners there full time.

What I did was an experiment to see how it would go. I learnt a lot. It was not a huge investment.

Some things work well. For example, I also bought water filters, and now everyone can drink filtered water. There is an immediate benefit. There is no immediate benefit in learning English or computing.
Thanks for the suggestions
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