ZIO MWALE, Lusaka
MAINGO Mwakoi, 15, is one of the pupils at Chunga Primary School, a boarding school located in the Kafue National Park in Mumbwa, which is about 300 kilometres from Lusaka.
But there is a challenge at Chunga Primary School which directly affects Maingo’s studies – there is no electricity. It is one challenge that the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), which is mandated to provide electricity infrastructure in rural areas using appropriate technologies in order to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life, is addressing.
REA is constructing a mini solar grid in the area involving a distance of 3.83km of 400 volts that will supply electricity to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, senior staff houses, Chunga Lodge, Game Compound, Chunga Primary School and Mukoko Compound.
“Bringing electricity to our school will solve a number of problems we are facing as pupils; we have computers but we cannot learn ICTs adequately because the solar power we use doesn’t go for long,” says 15-year-old Maingo, who has been at Chunga Primary School for seven years and is the current deputy head boy.http://epaper.daily-mail.co.zm/