Kangamowa Primary School gets solar power

Light for 472 children and their teachers in Malawi

It gets dark quickly at 6pm when the sun goes down in Nkhotakota. Very dark, as there was no electricity there. No lights in the classroom, no lights in the teachers houses. Until now this meant that the day ended here for the 472 children at Kangamowa Primary School, exercise books were closed, chalkboards remained bare, preparations had to wait.

Not anymore. Thanks to support from Christian-Liebig-Stiftung e.V., the school has had a solar power system installed. Classrooms, teachers’ rooms, office and the teacher’s houses now have reliable electricity.

It will always be possible to learn here now.

A joint project with local partners

The idea came from Father Manuel Hernández of the Benga Parish. Together with Stephano Ziba and the archdiocese Lilongwe, the project was planned and implemented locally. The Christian-Liebig-Stiftung e.V. provided financial support of around 20,000 Euros.

Purchase, construction, and installation were entirely the responsibility of the local partners. Materials were procured in Lilongwe, specialists installed the system, tested it, and officially handed it over to the school. Local people are responsible for the project themselves, which makes all the difference. Decisions are made where the effects are felt. This means that the project is not only financed, but also genuinely rooted in the community.

Technology, making the future possible

The cables are installed over the plaster.

A 10.2 kWp hybrid solar system was installed with ten solar panels, a 5 kW inverter and lithium batteries for storage.

It will supply:

All classrooms
Office and staff room
The teacher’s houses, including outdoor lighting.

The cables were deliberately laid visibly on the walls. This avoided high additional costs. No unnecessary effort, no cosmetic corrections at the expense of function. It was crucial that it worked.

What light means for the pupils?

Graduating classes, in particular, benefit from being able to study even after sunset at 6 p.m.

Justin Bolamoyo, who is in Year 8, describes it as follows: ‘Solar power has made learning easier. We can stay at school in the evenings without worrying because the security lights are on outside. And we can study at night.’

Daily life is changing for teachers, too. Elia Mwale, a teacher at Kangamowa Primary School, says: ‘To be honest, solar power has changed our lives. We can charge our mobile phones in our homes, we have electrical appliances such as televisions. We no longer feel like we’re in a remote village.’

Headmaster Charles Thodwe sees and feels the change as well: ‘I am proud to be the headmaster of Kangamowa School. The school has changed a lot. Our aim is to achieve better exam results this year.’

In a region without a public electricity supply, this is more than just a convenience. It is structural progress. Solar energy creates independence. It creates reliability. And it creates better conditions for education.

Kangamowa Primary School now has a reliable power supply. This means more learning time, better working conditions and greater planning security in everyday life for the 472 children and their teachers.

Photos: Kangamowa