Greetings! My name is Jake Clemens, and I was part of the fall internship program at Green Empowerment and am currently interning with their partner organization AsoFenix (office located in Managua, Nicaragua).
My experience has been in the reforestation sector and I have completed the NGO skills training and renewable energy technical training at Green Empowerment.
At the end of December, Jason Selwitz and Ian Petrich from Green Empowerment came to Nicaragua to lead university groups on trips, highlighting the work Green Empowerment and AsoFenix have been involved with in the country. Jason led a group of students from Portland State University and members of Havurah Shalom and Ian led a group of students from the Presidio School of Management located in San Francisco, California.
Throughout the duration of the trip, we spent time in communities learning about past projects and the immense impact they have had on their standard of life. Solar and micro-hydro projects have not only provided lights and electricity, but also opportunities for small businesses to exist and the ability to diversify a family’s income. Solar water pumping projects also provided safe drinking water to communities that would otherwise be carrying unsafe drinking water from other sources.
Along with learning and observing past projects, the groups also participated in the installation of new projects. Included in these were a solar irrigation project (pictures of the system during installation and results seen below), solar home installations, a small wind turbine and a reforestation project.
For me, installing the solar home system was the highlight of the trip. Seeing the looks on the faces of the families when the lights come on for the first time was incredible. Acquiring the skills to install one of these systems was also a great addition to the trip.
In the meantime, we are working on many other exciting projects in rural Nicaragua, however I will save these stories for another blog entry. If anyone has questions about the trip, or the internships at Green Empowerment or AsoFenix, please don’t hesitate to drop me an email at jakeclemens101@gmail.com. Or, if you are in Managua, just look for the big awkward Canadian wearing shorts and hiking boots, speaking spanglish to some unsuspecting citizen trying to give him directions.
Hi:
Looks like you are having fun. I am interested in what you are doing and how it could possibly implemented in Peru or Brazil. Can you send my your email? I have some questions for you.
Doug
It sounds great what you are doing and i will pray for benefits to your work. My question is, have you tried using the hydro water ram pump, to supply water for a hydro mill? Thus using natural energy for electrical energy. Thank you
greetings jakeeee!!!!
it sounds like you are really making a differenece over there. its funny how much we take for granted. keep it up!!!!
miss ya!
cs
Hi Jake. My son, Matthew, is headed to Managua, Nicaragua in March with the group of engineers/material science students from Northwestern Univ, Evanston, IL.
I feel better seeing how you work with the locals and have built a mutual respect.
Is there anything you thing the NU group should bring that might not be on their lists? I wondered about headlamps, water purification tablets and some small things for the village kids.
Take care of your self and bless you for helping others
Jean
Hi Jake,
It’s wonderful to see what you are doing. Your work is so very important and, I’m sure, rewarding. And, WOW, you have grown a bit since grade nine haven’t you?
Peter Jensen
[…] were housed in AsoFenix’s headquarters. I still can’t find their website, but here is Jake from Asofenix’s blog. Anyway, they had a nice little home nestled in a small community a few block away from the […]
Jake, what you mean by solar irrigation is truly a solar energy cell for a pump, isn’t?
I developed a solar disinfection technology to reuse domestic wastewater in agriculture, for low income families.
Can you help me explaining how your solar irrigation works?
Hey, I just came across your blog, wondering if you are still in Managua. I have recently come here to work on a project for the UN and I am looking for hiking partners to hike the volcanos and just all around wanting to meet people…. let me know! thanks! alex
Jake can you send me your email information? I had some questions. Especially as to how to get in contact with Asofenix…