The expressions on the children’s faces said it all the moment the breeze from the electric fan swept their faces. Thanks to the solar panel donated by USAID through Synergeia Foundation, the school can finally use electric fans and children no longer have to suffer from extreme heat inside the classroom. “They can now focus on their studies instead of spending their time fanning themselves,” says teacher-in-charge Luna Aresto.

The notion of a fan other than the object you wave with your hand to produce a current of air is a rarity in Nasidman Island in the municipality of Ajuy, Iloilo. In fact, the fan they are using to test the solar panel is merely borrowed from a nearby resident who owns one that can be powered by either electricity or solar energy. The pupils of Nasidman Primary School, just like the rest of the residents of the small fishing village, are not allowed to use electric fans if it would suck power from the community solar power source.

USAID provided the solar panel as part of the community incentive grant (CIG) package extended to partner municipalities under Education Governance Effectiveness (EdGE) Program. The post-disaster assistance is USAID’s response action to aid children whose education was severely affected by the super typhoon in early November 2013 that left over 7,000 fatalities and caused widespread damage particularly in the Visayas.

Apart from the solar panel, the pupils of Nasidman PS are also benefitting from the new laptop that the school received that is included in the school’s chosen CIG package. The laptop not only helps Teacher Luna to write lesson plans and reports faster but also enable her to expose the pupils in the remote island to new technology.ed by the super typhoon in early November 2013 that left over 7,000 fatalities and caused widespread damage particularly in the Visayas.

In addition to the CIG that come in the form of various electronic equipment given to over 400 schools in 19 municipalities in Iloilo, Capiz and Bohol provinces, USAID also provided teaching and learning materials to over 3,800 teachers and almost 35,000 students.

“They can now focus on their studies instead of spending their time fanning themselves,” says Teacher-in-Charge Luna Aresto.

EdGE is a  five year project that seeks to improve education governance with the end goal of improving learning outcomes, particularly early grade reading, for at least 1 million children.