Report: assembling solar kits and delivering light to the villages of Bouachounch and Oulad Mbark Visit to Beni Mellal and COP22 Marrakech conference Morocco, 5 th 11 th November 2016 During the second week of November 2016, the EPS Young Minds project, in close cooperation with the associations Liter of light France, Migrations Co-developpement Alsace and the University of Beni Mellal, a group of of 30+ people developed solar kits assembling the different components. These solar kits were delivered afterwards to families and other workers in places where the normal usage of light is limitted due to geographical of economical reasons. Later, this project was presented at the UN Climate Change Conference COP22 held in Marrakech, Morocco from the 7 th till the 18 th of November 2016, with a poster along all the duration of the conference, as well as in a talk on 10 th of November.
Description of the project: The Project was carried out in the following three phases: 1. Presentation of the project to the students of the University of Beni Mellal and the assembly of the solar kits 2. Delivery to families and people in need 3. Presentation at the COP22 conference 1. Presentation of the project to the students of the University of Beni Mellal and the assembly of the solar kits: During the first three days of my visit, I could interact with the student chapter of Beni Mellal. During the presentation of the project, they were attracting new students to participate in the project providing information and spreading the word among other students. On Monday 7 th the project was presented in the auditorium of the university with a participation of 50+ people and a local news reporter. Presentation: Introduction by Prof. Mustapha Mabrouki, Head of the Physics department of the University of Beni Mellal Liter of light France Lucie Baron EPS Young Minds project Enrique Sánchez Bautista Beni Mellal student chapter Youssef Najih Migrations Co-developpement Alsace Ahmed Ouarab Morocco, 5 th 11 th November, 2016 2
Description and assembly of the solar kits: After the presentation held on Monday 7 th in the morning, during that afternoon and on Tuesday 8 th, about 20 students were actively participating in the assembly of the kits, both in the mechanical workshop making the metal structure and in the electronics lab setting up the elements of the devices. Each device consists in: a solar panel, cables, a battery, a light bulb into a plastic bottle and a plastic box (where all the connectors and electricity distributors are located). Morocco, 5 th 11 th November, 2016 3
2. Delivery to families and people in need On Wednesday 9 th, the solar kits were delivered to families in need and workers in areas with a lack of proper light distribution systems. The highly motivated students were crucial to the success of the activity by delivering all the kits on time. Some of the families receiving the light devices: The pictures were taken in the villages of Bouachouch and Ouled M Barek, in the surroundings of Beni Mellal. Morocco, 5 th 11 th November, 2016 4
3. Presentation at the COP22 conference On Thursday 10 th, Prof. Mustapha Mabrouki, Lucie Baron, Ahmed Ouarab and I were presenting the Project developed in the University of Beni Mellal and in the villages of Bouachouch and Oulad Mbark in the COP22 conference. The talk was very successful with many questions along all the event. Additionally, one poster was presented in the stand of the Conference of Presidents of the Moroccan Universities, CPU, located on the green pavilion of the COP22 conference. Presentation in AGORA zone: Poster on the stand of the Conference of Presidents of the Moroccan Universities, CPU: Morocco, 5 th 11 th November, 2016 5
Overall impression: I found a very energetic and highly motivated group of students willing to participate in new activities. Not only the senior members of the student chapter were motivated; many other students were participating performing great work and spirit of cooperation. What I could see is that, apparently, these activities including direct participation of the students in projects working in teams -both boys and girls-, are not as common as in other locations. During the last day of the workshop, students were acknowledging us because these kinds of projects allow them to work in teams and cooperate and interact with each other. Considering both the high degree of motivation of many of the students as well as the real and positive impact that this activity has supposed to the recipients of the light devices, from my point of view, I see highly recommendable to continue promoting these kinds of activities and this project in particular. Additional information: Beni Mellal location: Interesting links: COP22 webpage: http://cop22.ma/en# Liter of light France webpage: http://www.literoflight.fr/ Migrations Co-developpement Alsace webpage: http://mcda-asso.org/ More pictures: Facebook page of Migrations Co-developpement Alsace Morocco, 5 th 11 th November, 2016 6