Lincoln High School graduate (class of ’97), Kevin Myers, and Burlingame High School graduate (class of ’01), Barrett Raftery, recently joined Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, Maasai tribesman and Stanford graduate (2008), in Nairobi, Kenya to fulfill a mutual dream. They plan to electrify the Emprukel schoolhouse near the Maasai village of Enoosaen in rural Kenya during the next month, bringing lights, fans, computers, and a vaccine refrigerator to the school of 350 students.

This remote village will soon experience something brand new to them…electrical power. A 5kW solar electric system will bring this community to the forefront of clean, renewable energy technology, leap-frogging past fossil fuel based energy sources the rest of the developed world has grown to enjoy.

“Solar Maasai Project” is what the dream has been named and its genesis conveys a fascinating many faceted story.

Sharing an active interest in helping the world through means of sustainable development, the threesome has worked tirelessly to put together a solar-electrification project for the Kenyan school. Barrett Raftery (the Project Manager), who is a close friend and fellow Solar Living Institute former-intern with Kevin Myers (the Project Engineer), approached Kevin about the project around a year ago after meeting Kimeli “Wilson” Naiyomah, who has an extraordinarily inspiring story.

Kimeli grew up as an orphan in the Maasai Mara and was raised by village families of Ensooaen in the southwestern region of Kenya. Even at a very young age, an ardent fervor toward education motivated Kimeli to walk three hours each way to take lessons from a missionary. Upon reaching his destination, he sat and learned in a clearing under an acacia tree. Reaching the age for “middle school”, Kimeli stretched his trip 12-14 hours each way (without money for a bus ride, he walked the long distance to school). There, a small schoolhouse staff took him in and inspired him to become a scholar.

Spending most of his time studying with light from a gas powered lantern, Kimeli eventually earned acceptance into college. Although he lacked means (money for food, clothing, and books), his fellow villagers pooled enough of their resources (totaling $200) to allow him to attend college. Kimeli began to dream of becoming a doctor and someday supplying his village with its first hospital.

After completing college in Kenya, Kimeli accepted the scholarship he had earned to the University of Oregon and courageously made his way to America on his own. After a couple of years at OSU, he transferred to Stanford University (majoring in molecular biology and subsequently earning a Master of Science in molecular biology). His attendance at Stanford concurred with that of Chelsea Clinton.

Chelsea and Kimeli became friends giving him the opportunity to visit the White House as well as the Clinton home. This presidential association later inspired Kimeli to rally his Maasai village to donate 14 cows as a gift of compassion to the United States government in response to the events of September 11, 2001 (which Kimeli witnessed in New York City that day). The tragic event impacted Kimeli in a tremendous way.

If you have never heard the story, “14 Cows for America”, it is a must read. A children’s book by that name was dedicated to the Library of Congress this past September by Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah. It is a true story about a people, the Maasai villagers, who gave magnanimously from their most precious reserve when word of the 9/11 tragedy reached them (via Kimeli’s long trek home personally conveying the news and appealing to the compassionate generosity he knew so well).

Notably, the ultimate sign of generosity and respect was when the villagers gave their 14 cows to America. A Maasai is prepared to give his life for three things: a child, a cow, and the community’s land. The grand measure of their gift has been duly dubbed “the gold standard in human philanthropy” and the exchange took place with much ceremony when an entourage from the US government visited Enoosaen in 2002 to accept the gift.

Inspired by this remarkable event of benevolence, John Hennessey, president of Stanford University, worked with Kimeli to build a new schoolhouse for the village. And this brings me full circle to the current Solar Maasai Project.

Barrett, Kevin, and Kimeli have somehow been brought together to continue this amazing story sharing the true strength of human compassion and collaboration. They are working together now in that remote, yet influential, part of the world to electrify this modest seven classroom brick schoolhouse with a solar electric system. These three young men share common bonds as their lives parallel in many ways. All three graduated from California Universities (Barrett–UCSB, Kevin-UCD, Kimeli-Stanford). Possessing a good measure of compassion, they all have an affinity toward promoting world peace and conflict resolution. And as each has gracefully overcome their own hardships and challenges, they now work tirelessly to effect positive change for the world environment. They are truly a motivated team.

The electric power system being constructed is needed mainly for illuminating the seven classrooms but it will also power fans (to keep flying insects at bay), a vaccine storage refrigerator, a small bank of laptop computers, and a cell phone charging station (to generate revenue for the solar array caretaker and general systems maintenance).

In order to cover the loads, Kevin designed a 5kW, AC coupled SunPower/SMA solar electric system with battery storage, which amounts to about $50k of equipment. The SunPower Foundation has very generously stepped in to help fund the majority of the project, also donating the solar panels. SMA LLC and Exide Battery Corporation also showed strong support for the project with deep discounts on the inverters and battery bank, respectively. The budget for the project, including equipment and logistics, is $65k.

Currently underway in Kenya, the project experienced just a few minor delays. The shipment of solar equipment from the US hit a few snags in clearing Kenyan customs at the port of Mombasa. The materials were finally released and have successfully been transported to the village. A crew of recently trained students at Emprukel School is providing much of the heavy lifting for installation and will be receiving solar installation training certificates upon completion, providing them with opportunity in the growing African solar industry.

To track progress of the Solar Maasai Project team’s efforts, including weekly installments of their documentary series (documentary filming being provided by Michael Goode with Vimeo), you can log onto their website at www.solarmaasai.org. For more information about the SunPower Foundation, please visit www.sunpower.org. For more information about the American African Nuru Foundation or to donate to the project, please visit www.aanurufoundation.org. As you will see, many contributors have joined the effort becoming “Milliwatt, Watt, Kilowatt, Megawatt, and Gigawatt Members”.