Understanding the Mountain Gorilla Habitat Pt. 4

Providing Power to the Habitat

A major problem facing the villages surrounding the Gorilla Habitat is a lack of power. After the sun sets there is virtually no illumination except from the moon and the stars. Some people use expensive kerosene lanterns which give off noxious fumes inside the houses exacerbating the pollution from the three stone cook stoves. Children can not study after dark and local industries can only operate when the sun is up. Even where power from the National Grid is nearby it is prohibitively expensive to distribute power to the villages. Medical Clinics and Ranger Stations are severely handicapped by lack of lighting and power for even the most basic equipment. 

To address these problems Give Power has been operating with a number of partners to install micro gris and get power to the needed areas. A real success story was the installation of three micro grids in the Virunga forest in the DRC to provide power for the rangers protecting the Mountain Gorillas. In this dangerous area the rangers can now communicate with each other effectively and track the Mountain Gorillas. The power is also used for cooking to deceasing deforestation and CO2 emissions.

As a part of Gorilla Habitats efforts we are discussing with Give Power the steps needed to install micro grids in the areas surrounding the forests of the Virunga Mountains. The micro grids will complement the installation of the Pesitho ECOCA solar cook stoves and provide vital power to the schools, medical centers and ranger stations. The overall impact will be improved education and much needed support for local industries.