Empandeni High School receives 44 solar geysers

Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
EMPANDENI Girls High School in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South Province has received a shot in the arm following a donation by the National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) that saw the installation of more than 40 solar-powered geysers.

The parastatal, which is in the business of pipeline transportation of petroleum products as well as storage and handling in the company’s depots, started installing the geysers in July last year and recently completed the project which cost US$50 000.

 

Speaking to Sunday News following the donation which is in line with the Second Republic’s clean energy programme, NOIC board chairperson Engineer Daniel McKenzie Ncube said the company was touched by the plight of the girl child.

“The company was touched by the plight of the girl child where the unavailability of warm water for pupils during winter would see the school resorting to the use of firewood. As the National Oil Infrastructure Company, we bought and fitted 44 solar geysers at a cost of US$50 000. What inspired this donation was that the girls during winter were using firewood to heat up water in drums. So, we believe this project will positively impact the environment as we move towards clean energy as a nation,” said Eng Ncube.

The head of Empandeni, Mr Mandla Ndlovu, expressed gratitude saying the donation will go a long way in cutting costs for the school. With climate change threatening humanity, the need to preserve the environment through the provision of environmentally friendly energy cannot be over-emphasised, a development that Mr Ndlovu said the donation will address.

“We appreciate the donation coming from a Government parastatal for that matter. Before we had these geysers, we had a huge challenge especially during the winter season where we had to chop firewood and heat water in drums for the girls.

“It was environmentally unfriendly, so it comes as a huge relief and step forward in terms of using renewable energy power. You can also imagine the Zesa bills that we would incur while using electric geysers in those hostels that had those geysers, it was huge. Thus, it will go a long way in terms of cost saving in energy,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Besides the environment and the cost, Mr Ndlovu said the installation of the geysers would improve the performance of the pupils through an enhanced positive mental and academic attitude.

“We are a girls only boarding school and girls naturally are tender, so the solar geysers are user friendly and will reduce congestion because we have about 44 of them. We will not have scuffles for water anymore and early morning rushes. We believe it will go a long way and we expect our atmosphere to improve based on the welfare of the girls as it also impacts on their mental and academic attitudes,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Eight hostels have been installed with the solar geysers to service the 600 pupils enrolled at the schools. The development comes at a time Government is seized with providing clean and sustainable energy to all its citizens.

The National Development Strategy One (NDS1) recognises the importance of developing infrastructure in schools to achieve national development goals.