November 30, 2011

Dear Friends of Power Up Gambia:

With your incredibly generous help we have raised 83% of the total cost for equipping Bansang Hospital with solar panels. Now we need your help to raise the last $20,000 and take us to the goal of $120,000 by December 31, 2011.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the 600,000 people of the Central and Upper River Regions start the New Year with the hope of a Bansang Hospital that has the 24/7 electricity it requires to refrigerate vaccines, proceed with necessary surgeries, plug-in and run the x-ray equipment, incubators, sterilizing equipment and lights?

2011 has been a year of growth for Power Up Gambia. We have added a partnership with the Gambia Technical Training Institute to sponsor two GTTI instructors in an online solar energy course offered by Solar Energy International. After the instructors complete the initial training program, they will adapt the program to offer to GTTI students. The students will be taught how to install off-grid solar electric power systems and how to maintain Power Up Gambia’s solar projects.

In 2012 we will be increasing the involvement of student groups here in the United States and increasing the number of colleges that are involved with Power Up Gambia. Does your alma mater have a medical program or an environmental degree program? We would love to connect with them, so please feel free to contact us with your suggestions.

This summer one of our dedicated college pre-med students volunteered at the Sulayman Hospital — our first installation. She was part of a dedicated trekking team, a group of medical professionals and volunteers who travel from the hospital to rural villages in the western Gambia several times a week to vaccinate the children and provide basic diagnostics. These treks are possible due the ability of the hospital to make enough ice to keep the vaccines cool — enabling them to remain viable for significantly longer periods of time. Vera reported that the teams saw over 26,000 children, some of whom walked with their mothers for over two hours each way in order to be vaccinated. The benefits of the Sulayman Hospital solar power system radiates well beyond the walls of the hospital itself.

Now imagine what will happen when we are able to install solar panels at Bansang Hospital. Imagine how many children could be vaccinated, how many families helped, how many patients treated…

We look forward to your generous donation. And if you are interested in discussing a multi-year or a larger sustainable gift please contact: Lois Davidson, Director of Development at: lois@powerupgambia.org or (484) 602-5234.

Thank you and Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season.

• Tanya Keenan
  Chairman of the Board
• Kathryn Hall
  Founder & President
• Lynn McConville
  Executive Director