Many parts of rural Kenya lack access to electricity, leaving residents shrouded in darkness as nighttime falls. John Magiro Wangare wanted to change that.Using a local river, scrap metal and dynamo, Wangare built a hydroelectric power station in the town of Njumbi.
source/image: Great Big Story
Today, his clean energy solution generates electricity for 250 households, creating a brighter life for his whole community.
He started his mini hydro-electric power plant by raising Sh6,000 (50 -60$) from his mother and also by selling some goats and rabbits that he had kept at home. He then bought an old chaff cutter part to act as his turbine while an old bicycle rim served as the wheel to drive the turbine.
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For poles, he cut down some old trees from his mother’s compound and used thin zinc wires to transport power to the house about 300 metres from the river. And using old metal parts, he has even made some special climbing shoes to go up the high poles.
