Social_enterprise – Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity

September 24, 2021February 10, 2022

Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions Design Competition Update

Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (K.I.S.S.)—in partnership with SMU’s Sustainability + Development Program (S+DP), the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity (HI), and three universities in Tanzania—launched an architectural competition for the design of the Rulegura Centre back in 2020.

Student teams drafted building plans for the Rulegura Center, which were then evaluated by a panel of three international jurors (Dr. Michael Ramage, Dr. Victoria Marwa Heilman, and Paul Westbrook). As the final step in the Rulegura Design Competition, each university (Mbeya University of Science and Technology, University of Dar es Salaam, and Ardhi University) hosted separate events to celebrate both the participants and the winners.

Surprisingly, when our international jury panel unanimously selected the top three project placements in the competition, each chosen project was designed by a group of students from a different one of the three Universities that participated. Due to the anonymity of the competition, this outcome was completely by chance. However, these results left everybody involved pleasantly surprised because all the universities had equal reason to celebrate!

Organizing the participation certificates, placement awards, and printed design submissions would not have been possible without the dedication of University Coordinators, Professor Sayuni Bupe, Professor Buberwa Tibesigwa, Professor Raymond Kassonga, and SMU S+DP student Alejandra Hinojosa, with the HI Team. Also, Kijiji Board Members Clara Rulegura Ford, Martin Rulegura, and Dr. Jessie Zarazaga contributed to making sure the posters, trophies, and monetary awards were delivered to the students. Despite an 8-hour time difference and a number of moving pieces, the Kijiji team was able to get all of the parts in place so that the universities could hold their celebrations.

Following several weeks of coordination and planning, we received pictures from Raymond at Ardhi University of their school’s event. At this event, winners and participants of the Kasisa Community Center Competition received awards and certificates. An array of dynamic students studying architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, building economics, and civil engineering attended the celebration. The images depict the first-place winners, Renalda Lwilla and Muhumuliza Luveiyamu, as well as Ardhi University student participants, and images from the event that day.

On possible future student opportunities regarding this collaboration, Dr. Jessie Zarazga said:

“Students in the SMU S+DP Masters program followed-on by jumping into the same design challenge, producing their own sustainable design proposals for Kasisa, and learning from the work of the Tanzanian cohort. For the next stage we hope to coordinate a more direct integration of teaching structures, so that real international collaboration can be developed.”

This update was written by Alejandra Hinojosa, S+DP Grad Program Manager 2021.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

September 20, 2021February 10, 2022

Jin-Ya Huang: Conversations about Community and Resilience

On this episode of the Hunt Institute’s Sages & Seekers Podcast, Jin-Ya Huang discusses the importance of storytelling; her experience founding Break Bread, Break Borders; and what it means to be a social entrepreneur.

The Hunt Institute Social Enterprise Program is proud to have Jin-Ya Huang of Break Bread Break Borders (BBBB) as one of four social entrepreneurs in our founding cohort in 2018.

Break Bread, Break Borders is catering with a cause: empowering refugee women to earn a living through their existing cooking skills while they share their incredible stories with the community.

In the conversation, Huang said, ““We’ve had tough conversations when people ask the women that we work with, ‘Why did you come to America?’ or ‘Why are you taking our jobs?’ As they break bread together at the table, they gain an understanding of each other. They’re breaking down borders.”

What is Hunt Sages & Seekers?

The Hunt Institute Sages & Seekers Podcast shares the stories of innovative social leaders and the resilient communities that have shaped them. The series explores guests’ personal experiences with social issues ranging from inequity in the arts and school segregation to climate change and police violence. Through conversations with these agents of change, listeners gain insight into the history of these matters and discover how we as a global community can work to correct them. Follow us on SoundCloud at Hunt Sages & Seekers Podcast.

August 13, 2021February 16, 2022

Summer 2021 Recap

Summer in the Hunt Institute is always an exciting season of transition and growth for our team. Though the summer team is typically smaller with many of our student workers participating in internships or taking summer classes, it was nonetheless encouraging to be able to engage in person with our coworkers after adjusting to a hybrid workspace for much of the last year. After we celebrated our graduating students in May, we changed gears to a summer of training new team members and strengthening our processes, delving deeper into existing projects, and continuing to engage with our community. This post serves to highlight some specific happenings in the Institute over this summer:

In June, Mohammed Njie shared a HunTalk about his journey to bring clean energy to The Gambia and the support of his colleagues in the Institute along the way.

Mohammed said that clean, reliable energy in The Gambia “is necessary now more than ever given the effects of climate change on agriculture, the country’s most important industry. This makes our venture a necessary and worthy cause.”

Also taking place in June was the final ImpactNights ™ of the academic year, which was dedicated to “Freedom Day” with an expert-led look at the obstructions in our justice system that hinder economic freedom for a significant number of black and brown Americans. Read more about the event here and view the engaging conversation here.

The Social Enterprise Program in the Institute was a focus this summer, as the 2021 Cohort of Social Intrapreneurs continued developing their innovative solutions. Working to support the intrapreneurs is Valecia Harris, the graduate Program Consultant and Manager for the Social Enterprise Program.

Valecia noted that she is “excited to be part of a team where I can lend my knowledge and experience in developing strategies and supporting innovative solutions that generate transformational impact.”

Undergraduate student workers are involved in this area as well, as Undergraduate Research Analyst Scott Zuo was featured in July for his research involving inclusive economy best practices and mapping of the international ecosystem for social enterprise.

As mentioned previously, many student workers in the Hunt Institute received tremendous opportunities to acquire new skills and experiences through internships outside of the Institute. Undergraduate Marketer John Morgan reminded us to worry less and dream more after recounting his experience working with children as a program specialist at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center, and Undergraduate Research Analyst Sam Borton explained his summer research on non-revenue water at the Institute for Technology and Global Health. We are excited to reconnect with all of our student workers who worked elsewhere this summer to hear about their experiences.

Lastly, we highlight the exciting progress being made on STEM Up Phase II, in which using the solar power produced at Tintinto Primary and Secondary School in The Gambia, low-cost and low-power servers and refurbished laptops will outfit a computer lab. This project continues to progress as Wilkie Stevenson ’20 works tirelessly to finalize the prototype.

Be sure to stay up to date on these and the many other exciting projects and initiatives happening at the Hunt Institute this Fall. Pony Up!

June 29, 2021February 16, 2022

Valecia Harris, Hunt Institute Social Enterprise Graduate Program Consultant & Manager

Valecia Harris is an MBA candidate at Southern Methodist University in the Cox School of Business, specializing in Strategy and Entrepreneurship. She serves as President of the Graduate Entrepreneurship Club, Vice President of Program Development for Graduate Women in Business Club, and Vice President of Consulting Club Online Master of Business Administration (OMBA) Engagement. She also serves as a member of the Energy Club and a member of the Student Honor Council. Valecia has been recognized as an award recipient for the Cox Legacy and Cox Dean’s Circle Business Leadership Center.

Valecia has 19 years of experience in the captive lending financial service industry. She held several leadership roles at GM Financial Services where she advanced to Assistant Vice President overseeing dealer compliance operations. Her latter position included aligning strategic priorities with the company’s core values while mitigating risk. Valecia was part of several social and rewards and recognition initiatives at GM Financial, such as being a member of the first Diversity and Inclusion Council, implementing corporate initiatives for rewards and recognition employee programs, and performance enhancement development. Valecia’s career has pivoted into the entrepreneurship field. She is a new business owner of a faith-based direct-to-consumer retail business that focuses on fashion and lifestyle products. She was selected as a 2021 finalist for the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation for her extensive leadership skills, contribution, and commitment to supporting the Texas entrepreneurship ecosystem.

At the Hunt Institute, Valecia is the graduate Program Consultant and Manager for the Social Enterprise (SE) program, where she works to develop and scale SE in order to address key barriers faced by early-stage social entrepreneurs, including capacity constraints and a need for strategic guidance, by connecting social entrepreneurs to critical resources.

When asked why Valecia was drawn to the Hunt Institute she responded, “What drew me to the Hunt Institute is the amount of work invested in supporting social entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial initiatives that create, inspire, and influence sustainable and inclusive economic development. I am excited to be part of a team where I can lend my knowledge and experience in developing strategies and supporting innovative solutions that generate transformational impact.”

June 21, 2021February 16, 2022

HunTalks: The Gambia Energy Project

Mohammed Njie has a mission to bring clean energy to The Gambia. Since his first day at the Hunt Institute, he has been working to make this vision a reality. Mohammed is a senior at Southern Methodist University double majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the Lyle School of Engineering. He was the first Student Social Entrepreneur in the history of the Hunt Institute Social Enterprise program. He is recognized as a Grand Challenges Scholar, winner of SMU’s Big Ideas, and is also part of the SMU Incubator. Mohammed was born and raised in The Gambia in West Africa. After graduating high school, he constructed his first electric car. His childhood helped solidify his life mission from a young age: helping to close the energy gap between the Global North and South, starting in The Gambia.

The limited energy sector in The Gambia leaves the majority of the country’s population in need of electricity. The demand for energy in the Gambia far exceeds the available supply. For more than three decades, the national utility company NAWEC has struggled to meet the ever-growing demand. Of the 48% of Gambia’s population that has access to electricity, they experience frequent blackouts because the supply is unreliable. The Gambia has one of the highest energy production costs, not only in Africa, but in the whole world ($0.32/KWh). The high costs are mainly due to the importation of expensive diesel that is used as fuel for generators by the national utility company. The rest of the 52% of the population do not have access to a grid that supplies energy, resulting in no access to electricity. This leaves two categories of customers in the Gambian electricity market: (1) Urban Gambians with unreliable access to electricity and expensive tariffs, and (2) Rural Gambians with no access to electricity at all.

Mohammed discusses his motivation, saying, “Energy infrastructure is at the foundation of economic, environmental, and social growth. The Gambia, the smallest country in Africa, lacks this essential infrastructure but has the desire and resources to support it. Janta is the solution that will bring clean, reliable energy to the Gambia to facilitate the country’s growth and development. The need for energy in The Gambia is necessary now more than ever given the effects of climate change on agriculture, the country’s most important industry. This makes our venture a necessary and worthy cause.”

In this edition of HunTalks™, Mohammed shares his journey to make this vision a reality as a student employee in the Institute. Click on the video above to hear him share about his colleagues in the Institute and how they have contributed to his success.

Previous posts about Mohammed Njie:

December 15, 2019: “2019 Social Enterprise Cohort”

February 28, 2020: “Mohammed Njie – Travel Feature”

July 1, 2020: “Hunt Institute’s First Student Social Entrepreneur”

November 9, 2020: “Innovation in Tintinto, The Gambia”

December 15, 2020: “2020 Social Enterprise Cohort”

April 13, 2021: “Illuminating Tintinto | Hunt Institute’s Project for SMU Giving Day 2021”

April 14, 2021: “2021 SMU Giving Day: The Power of One Person’s Vision”

May 6, 2021February 17, 2022

2021 Social Enterprise Intrapreneur Cohort Update

Social Enterprise, social intrapreneur, climate-smart and inclusive economy. Pharr Andrews, Dr. Candice Bledsoe, Julianna Bond, Matt Sheldon, Dr. Eva Csaky, Hunter and Stephanie Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity, Lyle School of Engineering, Southern Methodist University

In our Social Enterprise program, we believe that intrapreneurship can bring together the best of both worlds: the innovation and dynamism of entrepreneurship, and the resources and market platform of existing organizations. Research has repeatedly demonstrated the benefits of intrapreneurship, and an increasing number of organizations are implementing programs to proactively and intentionally encourage intrapreneurship, especially in the business community. Social intrapreneurship is a more recent and somewhat lesser-known concept. Social intrapreneurship combines social entrepreneurship, the mindset of pursuing bold ideas and innovative solutions to address social and environmental problems, with intrapreneurship.

Since launching the 2021 Social Enterprise cohort at the beginning 2021, each of the four social intrapreneurs has made significant strides in pursuit of their transformational ideas for a climate-smart and inclusive economy. As this semester comes to a close, we want to highlight their progress.

Pharr Andrews

Ms. Andrew’s project aims to find solutions to address the energy poverty gap. In March, she served as a panelist at ImpactNights® and helped spark the discussion around reducing the energy burden for LMI households. Throughout the semester, she has worked to increase awareness of the issue and the urgent need for action. This month, the Hunt Institute and Pharr will be hosting a virtual workshop to bring together key stakeholders to collectively develop clear next steps to get more homes weatherized. If you are in a position to assist with this project, don’t hesitate to contact Pharr Andrews via LinkedIn.

Dr. Candice Bledsoe

Dr. Bledsoe’s work is focused on developing youth as change agents and young entrepreneurs. Last month, the Action Research Center, founded and directed by Dr. Bledsoe, hosted the annual Cutting Edge Youth Summit, bringing together students, parents, teachers, and community leaders to learn about the importance of leveraging cultural wealth to become agents of change. To date, the program has supported 2,513 students and 785 parents. This summer, Dr. Bledsoe will be working to connect her various initiatives under the Action Research Center umbrella in order to expand her impact.

Julianna Bond

Julianna Bond’s project focuses on enabling the enablers: how can consulting firms use their unique position – straddling organizations, industries, and sectors – to accelerate innovation and amplify social impact? Ms. Bond spent the semester conducting a deep dive into the processes and resources that already exist in this space. Over the summer, she hopes to develop an initial draft of a framework for empowering consultants to serve their local communities and champion sustainability.

Matt Sheldon

Matt Sheldon’s initiative aims to create a circular system to recover food waste and bioplastics and convert them into energy. This system has many benefits, namely: diverting waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating new revenue streams. This semester, Mr. Sheldon has held numerous meetings with stakeholders across DFW who are interested in partnering with him on this type of solution. Over the summer, he plans to conduct the economic analysis necessary to move the project forward.

“From governments to leading think-tanks, foundations and global corporations, we have been observing expressions of support and anticipation that social entrepreneurs and social enterprises will play a critical role in rebuilding after the pandemic and steering our society towards a more sustainable and inclusive economy. But the challenges faced by social entrepreneurs and enterprises remain significant. The purpose of our program is to help understand these challenges, identify proven best practices to tackle them and to empower the most promising social entrepreneurs in our local community to put their ideas into action and to maximize their impact.” Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of the Hunt Institute and founder of the Social Enterprise program in the Institute.

Stay tuned to the Hunt Institute Digest for more updates on the 2021 Social Enterprise Cohort of social intrapreneurs as they continue working on their initiatives this summer.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

April 25, 2021February 17, 2022

Winners of the Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions Design Competition

Winners of the K.I.S.S Design Competition

On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, The Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity hosted an exhibition featuring the various architectural designs created by 17 teams of 31 students from 3 universities competing for 1st prize in the Kijiji Innovation Sustainable Solutions Design Competition. Students, staff, and faculty of Southern Methodist University were invited to view the displays. Additionally, Clara Rulegura Ford, founder of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (K.I.S.S.), and a panel of 4 judges, were tasked with selecting the student team that would get the chance to implement their design at the Rulegura Center in northern Tanzania.

KISS Design Competition — The exhibit at the Hunt Institute displayed students’ designs.

The Center, which will be built in Kasisa Village, will serve as the hub for executing K.I.S.S.’s mission – to promote sustainable development in rural Tanzania and to protect the country’s wildlife and natural resources. The Center will be used for community meetings and trainings for villagers to learn sustainable methods and practices related to energy, construction, health, agriculture, and more.

After much deliberation on all of the wonderful submissions, the judges declared the following teams as the winners of the K.I.S.S. Design Competition:

The first-place winners are Renalda Lwilla and Muhumuliza Lugeiyamu from Ardhi University.

KISS Award — The certificate awarded to the first-place team.

The second-place winners are Walter John and Immaneul Mutoka from Mbeya University of Science & Technology.

The third-place winners are Doreen Sanga, Emmanuel Waheke, Jackline Samwel, and Daud John from the University of Dar es Salaam.

To view the design plans of the top three teams, visit the competition site here.

When asked about the success of the event, Ms. Ford commented, “I was so impressed by the design ideas from the students. They were well thought out and just wonderful. I congratulate the winners for a job well done, and I’m so proud of all the students for their courage and willingness to participate in the contest. Their energy and enthusiasm gives me hope in a bright, sustainable future for Tanzania.”

Stay tuned to the Hunt Institute Digest for updates on the Kijiji project and the construction of the Rulegura Center!

April 14, 2021February 21, 2022

Cutting Edge Youth Summit Continues to Help Youth Leaders Succeed

On Saturday, April 10, 2021, The Action Research Center hosted the annual Cutting Edge Youth Summit. The legendary event celebrates over 12 years of building youth leaders. This year, student leaders from many regions of the United States connected for the virtual Cutting Edge Youth Summit. Students and parents attended from Texas, South Carolina, New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Illinois, and California. During this leadership conference, students, parents, teachers, and community leaders learned about the importance of leveraging cultural wealth to become agents of change.

Candice Bledsoe

“During these unprecedented times, we continue to transform lives and help build youth leaders,” said Dr. Candice L. Bledsoe (pictured above), executive director of the Action Research Center and founder of the Cutting Edge Youth Summit.

Dr. Michael Waters, lead pastor of Abundant Life A.M.E., served as the keynote speaker and shared an inspiring message entitled, “Be Great!” Speakers gave tips to help prepare students for college and community leadership opportunities. Panelists also included Ana Rodriguez from SMU Latino Leadership Initiative, Lisa Winkley, President of United Nations Association-Dallas Chapter, Latrisha McDuffie, Social Emotional Learning Coordinator of Big Thought, and Jin-Ya Huang, Founder of Break Bread, Break Borders. “Raise your voices, and use your superpowers for good,” said Huang.

During the summit, two Young Innovators & Young Social Entrepreneurs participants were highlighted for their work. Kortni Foreman (pictured to the left), Townview Magnet School Class of ‘2023, shared her STEM initiative entitled, “Kits by Kortni.” The project is designed to provide an inclusive STEM Curriculum about women of color.

Jeremiah Bledsoe (pictured to the right), Nolan Catholic High School Class of ‘2022, received the Youth Service America/Hershey Heartwarming Hero Award for his social enterprise, J8 Creative, supporting the elderly in senior healthcare facilities.

A virtual online exhibit website includes additional information from subject matter experts. Ed Gray of WFAA, MacKenzie Jenkins, founder of Justice She Wrote, Eva Csaky of the SMU Hunt Institute, and many more provide digital lessons in the exhibit. Visit the online exhibit at www.virtualceys2.com. The Action Research Center’s Cutting Edge Youth Summit provides an opportunity for students, parents, and community leaders to execute leadership strategies, problem solving, and design to become agents of change.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

April 14, 2021June 17, 2021

2021 SMU Giving Day: The Power of One Person’s Vision

Mohammed Njie envisions a future in which all of Africa has access to reliable, affordable, clean energy in his lifetime. Since his first day at the Hunt Institute, he has been working to make this vision a reality, starting with his home country of The Gambia. Mohammed developed a plan with the help of the Hunt Institute team. During that process, Mohammed founded Janta Energy, a social enterprise, with the goal of bringing clean, reliable energy to The Gambia. Like all great ideas, he needed a pilot project to test his hypothesis that rural schools could be fully functional with solar panels because the majority of their meeting time is during daylight hours. The pilot has the panels connected to batteries for evening classroom access. The long-term goal is to include fuel cells when the technology advances enough to offer an affordable option.

After securing permission from the Minister of Energy for The Gambia and local leadership in Tintinto, the team installed the technology needed to illuminate 50% of Tintinto Primary and Secondary School. During Janta’s pilot project, the team was able to pull data from the school’s energy use and excess, evaluating capacity in planning what should be installed to complete the project. After a year of use, based on the findings, the technology has proven that it will be a viable solution going forward.

In the spring semester of 2021, the student employees’ goal was to raise the remaining money needed to finish the pilot; they called it the “Illuminating Tintinto” project and submitted it to the SMU Giving Day roster. Through their hard work, they spread the word to generous donors who donated to complete the project. Now 100% of the Tintinto Primary and Secondary School will be powered by solar panels. Access to electricity will make available an entirely new learning environment, providing tools for teachers to use to enhance the learning experience of students in Tintinto.

In response to the generous donations made to support his pilot project, Mohammed said, “This is amazing. We are one step closer to making the dreams and hopes of the students in Tintinto village a reality. Progress and sustainability are possible through education, and energy access makes education a limitless experience for students. I am very excited about the future of Tintinto village, its students, and its people.”

With the knowledge and experience gained through this process, Mohammed intends on scaling Janta. By replicating the same technology, he plans to continue using local resources and labor to outfit other schools, eventually expanding the idea for use in rural hospitals in his pursuit to bring clean energy to all of The Gambia.

We, the team at the Hunt Institute, would like to thank all the supporters supporting the group of student employees determined to help Illuminate Tintinto. We are excited to see the progress that Mohammed Njie is making and are proud of the student employees that embody our university motto, “World Changers Shaped Here.”

Many of our supporters have long been by our side, some are new friends, and still, others are our very own SMU Alumni that worked in the Institute and returned to once again aid in our impact. Thank you!

April 13, 2021February 10, 2022

Illuminating Tintinto | Hunt Institute’s Project for SMU Giving Day 2021

Today is SMU Giving Day – the one day of the year for all Mustangs to come together in support of the SMU causes and students we care about most. Giving day is not about how much we each give, it’s about the impact we can make as a collective. The more Mustangs who give, the more positive change we can create. Donations received are put into a matching program, making all donations even more impactful and appreciated.

For this year’s SMU Giving Day, the Hunt Institute is featuring a Global Development Lab project that is installing solar panels for Tintinto Primary & Secondary School, a school in a remote village in West Africa. The beginning of this pilot proved to be successful and we will be continuing the development of this project. Principal Amadou Kinteh, teachers, parents, and students are pleased with having access to clean energy and are excited to see the completion of this project with the final section of the school illuminated by Summer 2021!

During COVID-19, school administrators reported that having access to electricity created the opportunity for teachers and students to work remotely by having access to charge their cell phones in rotations at the school during the pandemic lockdown. When the schools were able to re-open, the teachers hosted additional tutoring times for students after school to help bridge any gaps that occurred during their absence due to the pandemic. As a result, Principle Kinteh reported that his students excelled in their exams (equivalent to state exams in the USA). Watch him talk about their experiences in the above video.

Mohammed Njie is an SMU student and Hunt Institute Social Entrepreneur who founded Janta Energy to provide sustainable, clean, and reliable energy to The Gambia, a West African country where just 48% of people have limited access to electricity, leaving the remaining 52% with no access. Recently, he published a website for this initiative called JantaGM.com.

In December of 2019, the Tintinto Primary and Secondary School agreed to be a beta test site for Janta’s pilot project. In January of 2020, a team installed five 330-watt 24-volt solar panels, two 250-amp 12-volt solar batteries, and a 50-amp solar charge controller to power four classrooms and a staff room. The pilot was designed to test the panel’s effectiveness as a solution to bring electrical connections for lights, fans, and eventually computers. Although the entire school is not yet powered, Njie has a vision: “As a pilot project, we were limited to installing a [certain] amount of panels. We used those panels to provide 100% energy for half of the school. The idea was that after we did a successful pilot project, then we will install more panels to extend the power to the other side of the school.”

Join us as we prepare to finish installing the necessary panels to complete this project for the Tintinto Primary and Secondary School so that all teachers and students will have access to electricity in their classrooms.

Eventually, Janta will use this concept to build a micro-grid, with the school at the center, to help power the entire village. Looking ahead to the future, Janta Energy seeks to replicate the model used in Tintinto across other rural villages as well, eventually spanning the entirety of the country. You can help make a difference in the lives of Gambians by contributing to the Hunt Institute’s project for SMU Giving Day to finish this pilot project. All proceeds will go toward this project in The Gambia.

April 13, 2021 all day giving day #SMUDayOne resulted in meeting our goal.

Check back for updates as this project progresses!

The Hunt Institute and everyone in the Tintinto Primary & Secondary School appreciates your support for this Global Development Lab project.