The following post is a piece I wrote for the Center for a Sustainable Future's Fire Souls blog post of Indiana University South Bend.
(Image credit: iusb.edu)
Boniface Njuguna, Founder, Green Youth Foundation
Boniface Njuguna has been
advocating and championing safe, renewable energies for rural Kenya. As a
Kenyan native, Boniface raised awareness to the challenges rural Kenyans face
while living off the national grid. Many rural Kenyan residents own cell phones,
but have no way of charging them, thus requiring distant travels in order to
find a charging unit. Equally challenging, is a proper lighting source.
Typically a family would depend on harmful kerosene lamps which are unmistakably
hazardous for one’s health. Founder of the Green Youth Foundation, Boniface has
been experimenting with alternative and innovative methods to provide clean,
safe lighting and energy to rural Kenya.
The concept
of the Green Youth Foundation is to not only provide safe alternatives for
Kenya, but also raise awareness and bring STEM
projects to American students. Students are eager to learn about and explore
alternative energy technologies. The equipment is a solar lamp that duals as a
charging source that is partially assembled by American students then later
shipped to Kenya for final assembly. During this process Boniface and the Green
Youth Foundation are able to teach both bodies of students the importance of
recycled, renewable energy.
Native to
Kenya, Boniface knew quite well the challenges rural residents faced, so this
lead to his inspiration for the Green Youth Foundation. His inspiration also derives
from the idea that we all can take personal action to provide a healthy planet
to those whom come after our lifetime. “We can leave behind
something for other generations to enjoy: a Sustained World.”
Boniface has been building
relations between U.S. and Kenyan students while demonstrating the innovation
needed in order to better our world. Boniface Njuguna is a beacon of hope in
sustainability, and although too modest to admit it, his foundation and efforts
are igniting a sustainability passion around the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment