An update on some cool things Pratt females are up to this summer!

Three Pratt women are participating in a Duke Engage independent program in Perú this summer volunteering for an organization called WindAid. The organization builds wind turbines and gives them to Peruvian households without access to grid electricity. The organization is currently holding a fundraiser to raise funds for a test center in one of the communities that they frequent. The test center will be used to educate community members about how to maintain their turbines if problems should arise, but also other aspects such as teaching new recipes and means of nutrition to community members and educating children on the importance on living sustainably.

Here’s some more info from WindAid if you’re interested, and the link to their website: www.kickstarter.com

They’re working with the Playa Blanca community and a joint team from WindAid and they’ve already put in the posts, walls and a temporary roof to the first three rooms. Phase 1 should be completed in November 2016 to provide a basic facility and the workshop will be fully operational by early 2017.

To raise the funds, WindAid’s first crowdfunding event is aiming for $35,000 by 4 July 2016. At the time of writing 96 backers from across the world had pledged over $7,800, for rewards from classic Peruvian handicrafts to a full month’s installation program. The level of support not only from people with a connection to WindAid, but also those who recognize the value of the workshop has been an inspiration to the project team.

WindAid Institute´s new event has been selected by crowdfunding site Kickstarter as a Project We Love. This is a fantastic endorsement of a vital project giving sustainable, reliable energy to a remote fishing village in northern Peru, Playa Blanca.

Further resources:

– WindAid Institute website – http://www.windaid.org/

– Kickstarter campaign page – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/175612109/building-the-playa-blanca-community-wind-workshop

– WindAid Facebook page – https://bg-bg.facebook.com/WindAidInstitute/

– #lightupalife

– Contact Danielle Holt (danielle.holt@duke.edu) for more information!