KB 100 % Renewable Community Center

The Kimroy Bailey Foundation announced its intention to implement Jamaica’s first 100% Renewable Community Center in a rural farming community in Trelawny a few months ago. The renewable energy project will comprise of 26 solar panels and a wind turbine generating energy for a  community center in Litchfield, Trelawny. The non-profit organization is seeking to raise the funds needed for this project via a gospel concert and fun day fundraising event on Independence Day August 6, 2013.

The KB Foundation’s Fun Day will feature a bungee trampoline, electric Merry-Go-Round, video games and numerous other family entertainment starting at 9:00am. A booth at the event will be used to showcase renewable technologies to educate attendants and also to sell KB merchandise to raise funds towards the project. The featured event will be a grand Gospel Concert starting at 6:00pm headlined by leading Jamaican gospel artists, Minister Kevin Downswell and DJ Nicholas.

There is no formal internet provider within the area of the community center; consequently citizens, especially high school students are forced to travel to towns such as Christiana, Manchester to do assignments, print documents, or browse the internet. The community center will offer services such as a home work and study center equipped with a computer lab. Students, youths and interested individuals in the area will have internet access directly or wireless internet for their mobile devices. The center will be capable of printing, laminating, hosting meetings, incubate small business start-ups, help to implement farming  technologies  and many other activities aimed at reducing youth unemployment and poverty.

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The community center is expected to facilitate 6 months skills training program for unemployed persons in and around the area. Courses such as: House keeping, Computer Literacy, Renewable Energy Installation as well as traditional high school courses and other educational activities will be offered.

The fact that the center will utilize solar and wind energy makes it ideally suited for use as a training location for persons interested in understanding how renewable energy works and how to install renewable energy systems at their home or gain certification in the area of renewable systems installation. Currently the community center is about 50% completed requiring additional work such as: rendering, painting, tiling, installation of windows and doors and furnishing. It will also require the relevant equipment such as: computers, projector, printer(s), fax machine,copier desks and chairs among others. The Kimroy Bailey Foundation via the fundraising event will use the proceeds to donate the solar panels, wind turbine and related components such as: charge controllers, inverters, battery bank etc. Since the funds generated from the Gospel Concert and Fun Day Fundraiser might not be able to cover all the relevant expenses  the project will be ongoing and installation will be able to accommodate  expansion as the project grows and the Foundation secures additional income.

The 100% Renewable Community Center will be an exhibition facility to sensitize persons that renewable is reliable. Interested schools, clubs, community groups and individuals will be able to do hour long tours of the facility and have hands on experience of how renewable energy works.  This tour will include video shots taken during the installation process showing volunteers at work. The tour will also provide a breakdown of the setup. After the presentation visitors will then be able to walk through each part of the system to fully understand how renewable energy becomes the electric power that drives the facility.

The total cost to complete the community center is over J$5million. This figure does not include the expenses used to get the building to where it is today. The construction of the structure was done entirely by the Litchfield Baptist Church. In order for this project to be a success the additional costs will be funded via various fundraising activities undertaken by the Kimroy Bailey Foundation, corporate support and individual donations. If you are interested in supporting this project you may donate online here.

100% Renewable is Reliable. Our beautiful island has enough natural resources for electricity generation to save billions used for oil importation. We have sunshine for solar, rivers for hydro, the Caribbean sea for wave, tidal, wind, hydro and many other sources for a reliable renewable energy mix. Give the gift of a greener Jamaica. Give the gift of solar panels and wind turbines. Donate to the Kimroy Bailey Foundation.

Contribute to Solar & Wind in Jamaica: Donate to the KB Foundation