January 14, 2010

Playgrounds power villages in Ghana

Merry-Go-RoundFor people in the United States, play is vital to our children's health and well-being. But in remote villages of Ghana, it can also be the key to an entire village's health, education and prosperity.

Empower Playgrounds Inc. builds special merry-go-rounds that generate power for lights in villages where electricity is scarce or not found at all. The non-profit, which started three years ago, has built 10 merry-go-rounds and plans to build 25 more in 2010. Here are some more details:




Read the full article: Man's LDS mission inspired bringing light to Ghana (Salt Lake Tribune).

The plan reminds me a lot of PlayPumps International, a non-profit uses similar technology to pump clean water in various parts of Africa.

There are some really neat photos of the electricity-generating merry-go-rounds on the Empower Playgrounds website. Go check them out!

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