Piloting Renewable Energy at Kanga High School

HSSG x Compass x Joedy Foundation

Across Kenya, 90% of people in rural communities use firewood as a primary fuel source for cooking and heating. In addition to presenting a host of serious respiratory issues, reliance on firewood results in the deforestation of tens of thousands of trees every year. Yet, with limited energy infrastructure to adopt other sources of energy, reducing dependency on biomass (firewood) has historically been difficult for rural communities. To address this problem, Kanga High School, the ninth-ranked secondary school in Kenya, has committed to becoming the first school in rural Western Kenya to transition to 100% renewable energy. With your support, we can help make this vision a reality and create a positive, lasting impact within the community.

Who We Are

High School Sustainability Guide (HSSG) – The High School Sustainability Guide is a non-profit, web-based platform that consists of 4 custom-built carbon calculators, step-by-step instructions on how to use them, solutions students can implement to reduce their school's footprint, and other resources for both students and teachers looking to mitigate their schools' negative environmental impact and contribute to their campus sustainability.

Compass Impact Consulting at GWU – Compass provides pro-bono advisory services to organizations through interactive projects to ideate, execute, and assist with impactful endeavors.

Joedy Foundation (JF) – A Nairobi-based nonprofit organization working in Western Kenya to combat poverty and environmental degradation.

The Project

Last year, the HSSG and The Joedy Foundation partnered with students across primary and secondary schools in Western Kenya to plant over 1,500 trees at three schools. This was in response to students’ concerns over flooding, soil erosion, and school closures that had ultimately resulted from deforestation. Over several months of speaking with students and educators, however, we collectively realized that the issue of deforestation is exceedingly more complex than the need to plant trees.

Each year, thousands of trees are cut down for biomass fuel in schools across Western Kenya. In some cases, timber serves as payment-in-kind for school tuition for students who cannot pay in shillings. Thus, while planting trees is part of the solution, it does not begin to address the broader context that enables deforestation. Over numerous discussions with these partner schools, we decided to shift our efforts towards adopting an alternative energy resource – one that replenishes the natural environment instead of diminishing it.

That’s when Kanga High School offered the opportunity to pilot off-grid solar energy and alternative cooking fuel– effectively reducing both deforestation and the risk of dangerous health effects. At the same time, the school is committed to direct the money saved from switching to renewable sources of electricity and cooking fuel into a scholarship fund, ensuring that students who are delivering biomass as payment-in-kind can receive a quality education without being limited by a lack of financial means.

Our hope is that Kanga High School will serve as a trailblazer for other rural schools looking to adopt renewable energy. Additionally, we envision implementing a scholarship program with the money saved from using renewables aimed at enabling students from underprivileged backgrounds to access the high-quality education offered at Kanga. This initiative will empower students to pursue successful futures, unhindered by financial constraints, thereby fostering a more equitable and prosperous community. To make this possible, we need your help!

Your Generous Donation Will Help Fund…

Thank you so much for your support – we are so grateful for your donation! If you have any questions about the project, please feel free to contact us through the fundraising page.