The Power of a Playground


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

General Information and Background

The Water Power Peace is unlike most projects that are designed to address the world's water crisis and poverty issues. This project links education to both issues, and links schools and student to solve the issues together. The project began with innovative playground that generates electricity, allowing clean water to be pumped or surface water to be cleaned, and enough power left to use for lights, irrigation, and even provide charging capacity for computers, tools and other important classroom aids. Schools are brought together in a sister school relationship with the goal of one school in the United States, working together with their sister school, which can be anywhere in the world, the only criteria is to find a school that lacks access to clean drinking water and power, and through a one year curriculum, students raise enough money to bring themselves and the playground to the sister school in the first summer. The ongoing work between the schools is up to them, and has included yearly visits, teacher exchanges, planting orchards and gardens, building classrooms, letter exchanges, setting up computer labs, and more.



2007:
  • The Sabre Companies designed the playground equipment that generates power and a system to store the power for other uses. The system can be used to pump and distribute clean water and provide light and electricity for schools.
2008: 
  • Woodland Hill Montessori School (WHMS) selected for  pilot water project.
  • Pilot playground was built. 
  • Sister school in Babati, Tanzania chosen.
  • Teachers, engineers and scientists traveled to the Sinai School.
2009:
  • Middle school students, engineers, teachers and parents from the WHMS community traveled to Tanzania. 
  • A new classroom was built by the parents and students.
2010:
  • Well drilled at the Sinai Primary School.
2011:
  • Hand pump installed at Sinai Primary School.
  • 100 Pounds of books delivered to stock the new library.
  • Pump repaired at the Waangwaray Primary School.
2012:
  • Begin work on a book of photographs, interviews and the culture of Babati to be published and sold to help raise funds for installation of the playground.
  • Engineers will teach all students and others in the community how to build a hand pump from scratch, and install drip irrigation lines and rainwater catch systems.
  • Students from the US will build a library to house the books they are bringing so that students can continue reading and improving their English, which is required for Tanzanian students to advance to secondary school.
2013:
  • Playground to be installed at the Sinai Primary School.

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