The Story

Power for the some of the hardest to reach people on earth – SimpliPhi Power and Energy Action Partners collaborate with Its Time Foundation to bring clean, uninterrupted solar power + storage to schools in the Fiji Islands

Meet 7-year old Millianna who lives on Kioa Island, Fiji. Supplies arrive at her village every other week by small craft – if they arrive at all. Until recently, her school could only afford power for several hours a day using an unreliable and dirty diesel generator. Her only technology experience had been when Mr Moui, the head teacher, showed her his computer. Eyes wide, she could only dream of being able to explore the world of information she’d glimpsed on his screen. Like so many other children living in remote and hard to reach locations, Milli was being left behind on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Solar energy combined with storage provides an obvious solution and a world-changing opportunity to remote Fiji schools. However, the up-front cost of these systems makes it challenging to purchase the solar + storage equipment for clean power 24/7, even though the total energy costs disappear over time when diesel generators are replaced with renewable generation.

Several years ago, her future prospects changed dramatically when the Its Time Foundation partnered with her teachers to install a solar energy system at her school. Now Milli and her classmates have access to a modern education with computers funded by displaced diesel fuel costs and powered by Fiji’s abundant sun. Her school even had enough savings to rebuild their library and to begin adult classes such as a multi-media course on new farming techniques from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Fiji has 300 such remote island schools full of kids hoping for a brighter future and a chance, like Milli has now, to expand their horizons. And you can help give them that chance. You can truly change their future.

Please join SimpliPHI Power and Energy Action Partners to bring clean, high-quality energy storage technology to these schools with our partner, the Its Time Foundation. For this 2017 campaign our goal is to raise $80,000 toward energy storage systems for over 200 kids.

A donation of only $400 provides 24-hour-a-day power to one child and continues to provide power to students for years to come. The annual reduction in diesel fuel costs represents a 1:1 annual savings for over 10 years, money teachers can use to fund the tools of a modern education. Each dollar you donate will be matched through the generous support of SimpliPHI Power.

We invite you to consider the following sponsorship levels (USD):

When projects are complete you receive a detailed report showing exactly where and how your donation is helped. Also:

$25 – $900 Power Champions receive a personalized, ready to print and frame, image of smiling kids and the solar system where your donation is spent.

$1000 – $9000 Student Champions receive a personalized handwritten letter from a student – kids love doing that. Plus recognition above. Every $1000 raised creates decades of power for 2 to 3 student positions at a school.

$10,000 – $19,000 Study Group Champions receive a personalized photo book depicting the solar system construction. Plus recognitions above. If you are a business we can help create PR material, video with your logo and images you can use on your website to share your corporate social responsibility initiative.

$20,000 – $39,000 Classroom Champions receive a personalized video and canvas print. You are invited as a special guest to the opening ceremony. The village really does put on a celebration. Plus recognitions above.

$40,000+ Whole School Champions are welcomed as the guest of honor at a ribbon cutting ceremony as well as a photo book, canvas print, image set and video depicting the opening ceremony. Plus recognitions above. Actual project costs vary. For example, one project requires over one kilometer of underground cabling to wire up 20 teachers’ homes, whereas other projects are simpler. Please contact Its Time directly for exclusive sponsorships (+61 2 8003 4143).

US donations contributed through the YouCaring site: www.youcaring.com/powerfijischools are collected and managed by the US nonprofit Energy Action Partners and are tax-deductible. Receipts are issued to all donors at the end of each month.

Please note, the YouCaring donation platform has no fees, but asks you to leave a ‘tip’. The tip does not go to the Fiji projects.

Thank you for your generous, life-changing support.

For more information, please visit our partner websites:
www.iitime.org
www.simpliphipower.com
www.enactpartners.org
www.youcaring.com/powerfijischools