PART II
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Location of project beneficiaries' households
Beneficiary households are residents of Bahati and Mbogoine divisions of Nakuru
district. SCODE worked with 100 households through cost sharing efforts aimed at
producing energy for lighting and operating radios and televisions.
Mr. and Mrs. Kamau
from Bahati,
recipients of
SCODE/UN initiative
for solar panels
Mrs Maina says
the system is
convenient for her
in the kitchen
The Maina household
Mrs Maina, a mother of seven, had seen people in her neighborhood with solar energy.
Her pastor, who uses solar energy, told her husband about the SCODE project. In
December 2000, they bought a 20-watt system but after a few months realized that it
did not satisfy their needs, so they bought a 50-watt system which has proved very
useful to them. Mrs Maina says the system is convenient for her in the kitchen. Her
school-going children are also benefiting as they have adequate light to do their
homework.
The Mungai household
Benson Mungai is a farmer and a father of three. He says: "I first saw a solar energy
demonstration at the Nairobi Show and it impressed me a lot. I also have a few friends
who use it and saw its advantages. Then I heard about the SCODE project but this was
after the first phase when the solar kits were no longer being sold at half price.
However, I still decided to buy one. Before solar, I used kerosene which was expensive
and had a strong, bad smell.
Once I used solar
energy. I realized its
convenience –
lighting was better,
there was no smell
and I could also use it
for radio and TV.
But once I used solar energy, I realized its convenience
lighting was better, there was no smell and I could also
use it for radio and TV. The only problem was when there
was no sun, the system did not charge fully, so we had less
electricity. But I learned what to prioritize during the day
so as to ensure maximum usage in the evening. I also