The Viara Academy Solar Power & Hydrophonics Garden Project

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The African Space Science and Policy Institute is dedicated to helping advance the cause of space science in the African Diaspora. It's founder, Gary C. Booker, will be touring Kenya and Uganda to complete projects that will accomplish the following objectives: Provide a small, but useful amount of electricity to Kenyan schools so that they may start small computer labs for usage by students and teachers. Connect Kenyan schools to the internet using 3G and 4G hotspot technology. Develop hydrophonics based agriculture at Kenyan schools to alliviate the effects of the drought on the food supply.

The Problem

Viara Junior Academy is located in Huruma, which is a residential estate located in northeastern Nariobi, Kenya. The school was founded by the late Violet Anyoso to provide educational opportunities for Huruma's disenfranchised youth. The school has limited funds, no access to electricity, and its students are uncertain about where their next meals will come from.

The Solution

Longterm sustainability of the Viara Junior Academy will take much help. But Viara can take a giant leap by developing Solar power capabilities - A solar powered generator can be used to strategically provide power to places in Viara's 8 room building. Internet capabilities - Internet capabilities can help eliminate education costs. Furthermore, it will allow Viara to raise money by acting as an Internet Cafe during after-school hours. A hydrophonic food garden - Urban gardening is the key to providing enough food for areas such as Huruma




While in Kenya, Mr. Booker will deliver/ship/purchase and set up the following items: One Solar Generator Kit - About 250 USD) 3G Hotspot & Internet Expenses - about 100 USD Four wifi-capable Used Laptops with Ubuntu 11.10 (already acquired) "Wiggle room" (For extension chords, lamps, etc) - 150 USD

Total - 500 USD

Any excess funds will be used to fund additional ASSPI projects.




Why should the space science community be concerned with the plight of schools such as Viara?

"No other success can compensate for failure in the home." - David O. McKay

The African Space Science and Policy Institute advances the idea that the best way for humans to prepare for building outposts on other planets is to work on solving current environmental problems confronting humans on Earth. If planetary engineers cannot figure out how to turn small Kenyan schools into energy efficient, environmentally sustainable outposts that are resistant to potential fledgling political support, then they won't be able to sufficiently build outposts on planets that are millions of miles away from Earth such as those proposed by Robert Zubrin's Mars Direct plan.

By helping schools like Viara that need to become sustainable, the African Space Science and Policy Institute will be able to test sustainability strategies for terraforming outside of Earth.

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