A productive, reliable community center is crucial for a community to grow through education and encourages community members to interact through cultural gatherings. A lack of electricity can really limit the flexibility of these buildings. This was the case for Casa del Movimiento Comunal in San Ramon, Nicaragua. The center did not have reliable electricity because of frequent local power outages, and a quality light system that did not emit strong enough light. Thanks to collaboration with United Solar Initiative, Strata Solar, Suni Solar, and Appalachian State University’s Department of Technology and Environmental Design, these factors will no longer be an issue. By installing 15 LED lights and 3-80W photovoltaic panels, the community center now has reliable lighting and electricity. The community members and leaders of the center were ecstatic about the installation. Since the completion of the installation, the center has been holding night classes with students through its Young Life program. The final product was beneficial for everyone involved. Appalachian students learned to apply what they learned in the classroom, the community received a sustainable lighting source, and Suni Solar learned from USI personnel ways to improve the installation process.
