Lighting up a village- Solar Power to Remote Hasalaka with Red Dot Power and Pimp My Tuk Tuk Charity Ride
80 families from the Villages of Uda Galadebokka and Galamuduna now have access to solar power with the help of Red Dot Power in an initiative undertaken by the 2017 Pimp My Tuk Tuk Charity Ride. 80 solar units which contain one solar lighting system capable of illuminating 3 light bulbs (up to 8 - 12 hours per charge) and an additional self-contained solar lantern were handed over to these villages which are not connected to the national power grid
Uda Galadebokka and Galamuduna are situated 15 kilometers from the rural town of Hasalaka in the District of Kandy. Getting to the villages is no easy task as there is a 7 kilometer trek through the wilderness to reach them. There is a rough dirt track currently being constructed to the village of Galamuduna, and half the distance can be travelled by tractor, while the entire distance to Uda Galadebokka still needs to be undertaken on foot, made all the more dangerous because of the wild elephants that roam the mountain side.
The villagers live a hard life, with no access to power or water lines, and face the many difficulties that come along with it when combined with their extreme isolation. This effort has taken place to help lift their burden and improve their safety and quality of life by giving them the opportunity to light up their homes in the dark of night.
Spearheaded by PMTT Charity Ride 2017 sponsor Red Dot Power and funded by the same ride, 80 solar units were shipped to Sri Lanka. Representatives from both villagers travelled to Colombo for a one on one training programme and work shop with Mr. Vijay Sirse, PMTT Rider and Red Dot Power representative who talked them through the details regarding using and maintaining the units.
The most difficult task was the process of getting the unit up to the top of the mountain. Over the course of two days all the villagers descended to the bottom of the mountain where they met with the Foundation of Goodness team. On the first day, the units were delivered to Uda Galadebokka. With no roads that vehicles could travel on, the units had to be carried up by hand. The 7 kilometer route was not a smooth path, and the group often had to scramble over boulders and other impediments while ensuring the safety of their cargo, which would be damaged if dropped.
On day two, the journey to Galamuduna was made marginally easier because there was a rough path being constructed to the village, where a tractor could travel half the distance before everyone was forced to go on, on foot.
At both villages, the residents were completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of this gesture. Solar powered lighting means they suddenly have many more opportunities than they did before and as the villagers gathered to accept the solar units being handed over, they echoed the same sentiment that this was a life changing event for them, blessings to those who had made this possible for them for generations to come.
If not for the kindness and generosity of the Pimp My Tuk Tuk riders, none of this would have been possible and two small isolated pockets of Sri Lanka would have continued to remain in darkness. A big thank you also goes out to Red Dot Power and Mr. Vijay Sirse for spearheading this project.
24th October 2017 |
