Like most villages in Mali, Banco suffers from unemployment and lack of access to clean water and education. Banco is not within range of a utility. It is the responsibility of the woman to wake up at 3:30 am and walk several kilometers in order to fetch bushels of fuelwood and buckets of water, much of which is contaminated. Survival is first on everybody's mind, and studying often gets neglected for chores that must be done during the daylight hours.
 
Goal: Practical Small Projects aimed to educate the community of Banco about solar energy and enable local Africans to design, fabricate, and install a photovoltaic (PV) solar system on-site in Mali.
 
Process: Informational meetings were held with the villagers to determine the best use for the solar energy. After understanding the benefits of solar energy, the villagers decided to use it to power the local school and a pump for a well. Practical Small Projects then trained 15 locals as solar technicians. These participants now have the skills to build, use, install and maintain 35-watt solar modules and a solar pump. They built the first solar panel ever to be constructed in Mali, and subsequently supplied the Banco School with 100% of its energy needs through solar generated electricity. The school now has lights, and the schoolchildren now have clean water for drinking.

Results: Banco saw a dramatic improvement in its students test scores. Previously, only 6 out of 37 students would pass the national exam. After the solar installation 36 out of the 37 passed this exam. Electric lights increase productive hours, allowing students to study in the evenings, after the chores are finished.

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