BELIZE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION SAN ANTONIO VILLAGE, CAYO DISTRICT BELIZE Email: [email protected] Telephone: 011 501 664 5318
El Progreso in the Cayo District, Belize Health Center Solar System and Internet Cafe Belize March 11, 2011
2. Organization Information
a. Lead Organization
Contact person: Fernando Tzib
Telephone: 011 501 664-5318 Email: [email protected]
b. Information of other members
Francisco Tzul
Telephone: 011 501 625-2518 Email:[email protected]
3. Table of Contents
1. Cover Page
2. Organization Information
3. Table of Contents
4. Summary
5. Project Background and Context
6. Project Description
7. General Objective
8. Specific Objectives
9. Expected Results
10. Expected Results and Impacts Indexes
11. Activities
12. Timeframe of Activities
13. Organization and Management of the Project
14. Inputs to implement the project
15. Budget
16. Implementation Plan
Annexes
4. Summary
The Health Center in El Progreso lacks electricity and has been used as a community center at times and is located adjacent to the Government Primary School and also to the library. None of these buildings have electricity. The solar panels to be installed will be able to generate and provide electricity for lights to these buildings for the use of the monthly visit of the mobile clinic personnel, community meetings and also for a small internet café, therefore, the primary and secondary school students will benefit from the electricity provided by the solar panels. The Village Council will provide the computer for the internet café so that the teachers and students can have internet access. Two computer jacks will be installed so that users with laptops could also use the internet.
5. Project Background and Context
The Health center is located in the village of El Progreso in the Cayo District and is approximately 15 miles from the major town of San Ignacio. It serves the villagers of El Progreso Seven Miles. This was originally an immigrant community of refugees who settled there during the civil wars in Guatemala and El Salvador in the 1980s.The Health Center caters for a total population of at least 1500. The village does not have a resident medical doctor and the patients need to be transported to San Ignacio Town which is sometimes very inconvenient because the bus that serves the village had already left and chartering a private vehicle is too expensive for the poor farmers, who make up the majority of the population.
The material for the Health Clinic building was donated by the government of Belize and the villagers constructed the building. The building is used once a month by the visiting medical team to provide health clinics to the children i.e. vaccinations, weight checks, minor ailments, etc. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture have earmarked the provision of healthy foods and preventative health care as the way forward in affording better health for Belizeans and are therefore, seeking ways to better the health conditions of the rural population. A solar powered health clinic fits in the macro plan of the national government for a cleaner health environment through the use of alternative sources of energy, the provision of preventative health care, and eating healthier foods. The village of El Progreso is one of the major growers of vegetables and other food crops but there is an urgent need to involve the community, through education, to eat healthier foods, to keep their environment clean, and to use alternative sources of energy to mitigate the effects of climate change.
A solar powered clinic is a contribution toward better health in the sense that the nurses can keep their vaccines refrigerated while they conduct their clinic in the village and can stay there for longer hours so as to provide ample time for the children to be brought for their vaccinations, weight- checks, and minor ailment treatments. Spending more time in the villages will allow for the nurses to show health videos while they wait for the children to be brought. There is also the possibility of showing health videos to the children in the school which is adjacent to the clinic. The community center which is also adjacent could benefit from the solar power. The community meetings which are now held during the day on Mondays, and are poorly attended could be held at night so as to increase participation. Preventative measures of combating diseases have been proven to be more effective especially when the general public is educated about eating well, keeping the immediate surroundings clean of receptacles that harbor vermin and mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as malaria and dengue. The clinic will also provide regular checkups for diabetes, and hypertension patients. When the medical team, from the health department, visits they will have the conveniences for carrying out their duty such as vaccinating the babies and weighing them with a digital scale.
The villagers upon hearing of the project to provide electricity to the clinic pleaded for the project to include internet services since the children and teenagers need to use the internet to do their assignments. The closest internet service is in the village of San Antonio which is five miles away. Students sometimes stay in San Antonio to surf the web and then trek the five miles at night to go home because there is no regular transportation from San Antonio to El Progreso. They see the advantages that the teachers will also have if they have a supply of power for a copier/printer. Teachers usually have to go to san Ignacio (15 miles away) to print and make copies for exams.
The community really needs an internet service since the electricity for the clinic will be utilized once per month until a medical doctor is posted permanently there. The internet service will serve the students and tourists who frequent the area.
6. Project Description
The project seeks to provide electricity by installing solar panels and a satellite dish at the El Progreso Health Center which are non functional at night because of the lack of electricity. It also seeks to link El Progreso with the world through the internet and also to address the need for students to stay late after school in San Antonio (5 miles away) to use the internet. The students’ academic performance will be enhanced because they can rest more and have the use of the internet closer to them. In the past some students often dropped out of school because of the lack of internet services in their community. San Antonio did not have internet services at that time therefore, they had to stay back in san Ignacio which is 15 miles away and getting home was very risky. The project will serve the community members, teachers, students, and the tourists who visit the village.
7. General Objectives a. To utilize solar energy to provide electricity to the El Progreso so that the monthly health clinics could spend more time in the community and play a more active role in educating the community members in preventative health care measures. b. To provide a reliable source of energy for an internet café for the use of primary school children, high school students, teachers and tourists.
This source of alternative power could also provide power for the storage of pharmaceutical and medical supplies that need refrigeration, lighting, the operation of basic medical equipment and educational equipment such as a power point projector and television, and contribute to climate change mitigation.
8. Specific Objectives
1. To establish a 5/200W solar array to generate the electricity for a health clinic, internet café, and lighting for a community center when they hold meetings. 2. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of clean energy from solar energy. 3. To educate community members, especially the schoolchildren and mothers about the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere to mitigate climate change. 4. To increase the participation of community members in maintaining their community clean and eating healthy foods.
9. Expected Results • The solar energy will provide energy for digital equipment for weight monitoring. • The clinic will have a small refrigerator to be used for monthly of the medical personnel who offer health services. • A desktop computer with internet connection for the use of the teachers, students, tourists, and the community members. • A reliable supply of power for a small internet cafe. • A power source for lighting for community meetings. •
The students will not need to get home late at night because of staying behind in San Antonio to use the internet to do their assignment and teachers can print and copy exams when they need it.
10. Expected Results and Impacts Indexes
Expected Results Indexes Unit 1. Units to install 5/200 W Solar Panel Units installed 2. Area to plant or reforest 3. Capacity to install 1kw/day 4. Beneficiaries 150 families Male 100 Female100 5. Knowledge and understanding of the • 2 persons trained technology • 2 alternative energy awareness classes
6. Diffusion 2 informative meetings
Economical, Social and Environmental Impact Unit Indexes 1. Economic savings 2. Improvement of income level $150 3. Jobs opportunities 3 persons employed part time 4. Cleaner production 1 kw/day 5. Reduction of greenhouse Gases(ton/CO2) 6. Reduction of gasoline
11. Activities
1. Design and final review of the system to be installed 2. Procurement of the solar system and accessories a. Down payment of 25% 4. System Installation and maintenance training course 5. Operation and maintenance 6. Final report of system installation 7. Training of Community leaders by Technicians 8. Health education classes at the schools 9. Alternative Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions education classes
12. Timeframe
Total Budget Months 2011 -2011 Activity ($)
J F M A M J J A S O N D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1. Final Design and x Review 2. Procurement of x solar system and satellite dish accessories 3. Solar x x Installation and maintenance training course 4. Installation of x x Internet System 5. Operation and Maintenance 6. Final Report of x Solar Power System and Internet Installation 7. Inauguration x 8. Health Education Classes 9. Alternative x x Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Education
13. Administration and Implementation
The Belize Development Foundation is headquartered in an office in San Antonio Village and headed by a cadre of highly qualified members who will ensure that the project’s implementation is successful. The BDF does not foresee any risks in the implementation of the project since the solar power system is being procured from a reputable firm that has a history of installing these systems in Belize and will also provide the training on installation and maintenance. The firm will also monitor how the system is working until the end of the year. With regard to educational classes on health and greenhouse emissions there are professional members of the BDF who can deliver the classes and facilitate the workshops. There is an excellent relationship with the community targeted for the training and educational sessions, and workshops.
The Belize Development Foundation BDF) is a registered indigenous Non-Governmental Organization since 1997. In 1998 it implemented its first project – Reforestation of the Mountains of San Antonio Village, Cayo District. This project was funded by Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT). Thereafter, it has implemented the Maya Garden and Reforestation at El Pilar along with the with the co-management of Amigos de El Pilar, Alternative Firewood Project at Slate Creek Preserve, and Small Ruminant Production Project in Belize which were funded by FAO.
The BDF has an excellent working relationship with the village since it a buffer zone community of the Eligio Panti National Park that the Belize development foundation manages. and has assisted the four women’s groups in obtaining funds and training. Project leader: Fernando Tzib and Francisco Tzul will be the persons in charge of the administration and coordination of the project with the El Progreso Village Council and the Internet café Management Committee of the internet café during the implementation of the project. The Village Council will be the body responsible for the solar power system once the project is completed and the management Committee
The project leader, Village Chairman, will report directly to the management Committee of BDF on the status of the project, on a monthly basis. He will be the liaison between the contractors for the installation of the solar power system, coordinate the health education classes, installation and maintenance, ensure that alternative energy and greenhouse emissions education is provided and coordinating the activities for the opening ceremonies. The project leader will also be responsible for the final report at the end of the year 2011. He will also be responsible for site specific issues that arise in the installation of the system and the training and educational aspects of the project.
The El Progreso Village Council will be fully responsible for the management and maintenance of the solar energy system during and after the project lifespan.
Contact person is Fernando Tzib. His address is:
Fernando Tzib
San Antonio Village
Cayo District Telephone: 664 5318
Email: [email protected]
Belize
14. Resources for Implementing the Project
Human Resources
The Chairman of the Belize Development Foundation is responsible for the overall supervision of the project.
The Chairman of the Village Council is responsible for advertising the education sessions.
The Medical doctor is responsible for health education.
The Forestry department will provide the environmental education.
Procurement of services –Chairman BDF
Accounting – Peace Corp Volunteer
Material Resources
Transportation Village Council Chairman
Financial Resources
AEA – Alianza en Energia y Ambiente con Centroamerica –$11,032.50
Belize Development Foundation – $1,635.00
15. Budget
Activity Specific Items Total Donor’s Counterpart Total Contribution Contribution 1. Equipment 1.1 5 Solar ______and materials Panels 5,672.65 5,672.65 5,672.65 1.2 4 12 Deep ______Cycle Batteries 699.74 699.74 699.74 1.3 5 /12 VDC fluorescent 97.50 97.50 97.50 lights and fixtures 1.4 Outback ______FX2524 863.98 863.98 863.98 1.5 Charge ______controller 448.63 448.63 448.63 2. Installation of 2.1 Design, ______Solar Panels delivery, 1500.00 1500.00 1500.00 and Satellite installation dish supervision 3. 2.3 ______Transportation Transportation 260.00 260.00 260.00 4. Internet 5.1 Satellite ______dish 1250.00 1250.00 1250.00 5.2 Computer ______1125.00 and Printer 1125.00 1125.00 5. Inauguration 7.1 Food and ______250.00 Drinks 250.00 250.00 6. Signage 6.1 Sign ______200.00 200.00 200.00 7. Audit 7.1 ______300.00 300.00 300.00 Grand Total 12,667.50 11,032.50 1,635.00 12,667.50
16. Plan for budget Execution
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
X x
17. ANNEXES
1. Bank Statements
2. Quotations from three providers