Feature: Chinese solar panels light up Kenya's remote villages

Doris Loruk Chepalat receives a solar panel kit from Han Ke, general manager of China's Chuanshan International Mining Company, in Kenya's northwest Baringo County, Aug. 15, 2024.(Photo by Ronald Njoroge/Xinhua)

NAIROBI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- In the arid expanses of Kenya's northwest Baringo County, Doris Loruk Chepalat's modest homestead comprises a two-room semi-permanent house set amid sparse vegetation, a testament to the region's prolonged dry spell.

The 40-year-old Chepalat, along with her husband and five children, share the humble abode and rely on subsistence farming and goat herding for their livelihood.

Chepalat's household had been without modern electric appliances due to a lack of connection to the national grid. "We have to walk long distances to the market center just to charge our mobile phones," she said.

However, Chepalat's situation on Thursday took a turn for the better as her family, along with others in similar circumstances, received a donation of 160 solar panels and batteries, thanks to a collaborative effort between Chinese firm Chuanshan International Mining Company, China's Shandong Provincial Government, and the Afridge Development Plan.

Technicians from Chuanshan International installed a solar panel on Chepalat's rooftop, providing her family with the ability to power two light bulbs, a radio, and charge their phones using solar energy.

Chepalat expressed optimism that her children would now be able to study late into the night, which she believes will enhance their academic performance.

Han Ke, general manager of Chuanshan International, said that the donation is part of the company's broader initiative to empower remote communities and improve their quality of life.

Li Hong, deputy director-general of the Shandong Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, said that since last year, Shandong Province has fostered a friendly cooperative relationship with Baringo County. Through interactions, they discovered that many residents still lack electricity, causing significant daily inconveniences.

Li said the donation of solar power equipment aims to address these needs and help Kenyans achieve greater self-sufficiency. Li believed it will inject new meaning into the cooperation between Shandong Province and Baringo County and enhance mutual understanding among the two peoples.

Edgar Siywat, another beneficiary, also received a solar power kit for his household of three.

The 28-year-old motorbike taxi operator noted that the remoteness of Baringo's villages makes connecting to the national grid prohibitively expensive. The absence of electricity had diminished his family's quality of life by depriving them of television and other information sources.

Johannes Ogola, a local administrator, said that while Kenya's national electricity penetration is around 75 percent, residents in remote areas must rely on off-grid solutions like solar panels.

Ogola added that the government supports international partners' efforts to bring electricity to rural communities through innovative solutions such as solar power.

Gilbert Korinyang, another recipient, praised the solar panel donation, which he said would replace the kerosene lamp his household previously relied on. The 31-year-old casual laborer noted that reducing his monthly expenditure on kerosene would increase his disposable income for supporting his two children.

Switching to solar energy would also help his family avoid the indoor pollution associated with kerosene lamps, Korinyang said.