Dar Es Salaam has a special hospital for people with a disability. The full name of the organization (NGO) behind this hospital is Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation Tanzania (CCBRT). We are very pleased that they bought the wind turbine which resulted from the training with the students of the Yombo Vocational Training Center, who have to live with a disability. This contribution together with an extra investment from the Italian NGO CEFA, made the budget complete to execute the whole project.
Of course, we like to celebrate the fact that these students have performed a word-record, in a way that they are the first ever to manufacture and install a fully operational wind turbine. The celebration took place at the CCBRT-hospital at 13thOctober. Speeches from all stakeholders were praising students and the successful cooperation of all parties. The guest of honour on this occasion was Serena Bertaina who represents the EU-embassy in Tanzania. All students who contributed to the turbine got the official certificate, which makes them really proud.
This official meeting was also used as official inauguration of the wind turbine. We tested the turbine in the week before, but put it on brake some hours before the opening. So when everybody gathered below at the tower, the wind turbine was not spinning. We all decided that it should be a student to cut the ribbon during this inauguration in stead of an official person, because it is their achievement! So Robert cut the ribbon and Butros released the electrical brake at the same moment. All faces looking ahead: ‘Will the wind turbine rotate?’. Well, it spinned up smoothly because we had a small breeze that day.
After these official ceremonies, the students relaxed a bit. There was time for snacks and sodas. Meanwhile we showed the movie of the training, which will be available through this website soon. The students enjoy being taking on a picture endlessly. Every time another students liked to be on a picture with a teacher or ‘official person’. The press was invited and showed up in large numbers (remark for people familiar with Tanzanian culture: this press was not payed). During the next days a lot of newspapers had a story about it. And we made it to the 20:00 news of the national TV station ITV!
A final thanks to everybody who contributed to this fantastic project!