Faith Nyasuguta
At the age of just 14 years, an Ethiopian schoolboy has been lauded for generating electricity from biogas and lighting up several homes in Borana zone, southern Ethiopia.
Adan Hussein Dida, a grade eight student at Tula Web Primary School, reveals that he embarked on the project to aid a number of suffering villagers who lack basic services including roads, hospitals and electricity.
He commenced the project from decomposing animal waste in a two-metre deep hole in his parents’ backyard.
From the animal waste, he was able to generate enough electricity for eight houses. Every home pays $0.87 monthly.
The locals in the region are predominantly pastoralists who depend on their livestock for survival. However, amid the unforgiving drought that has hit the East African nation, many are wallowing in poverty.
At a young age, Adan is able to support his family using money he has raised from his electricity project.
“I am very proud of what I have accomplished so far, they say I have saved them from the cost of batteries and torches,” Adan says.
Adding, “Their children can now read at home instead of waiting until the next day to do their homework.”
According to Adan’s teacher, Boru Sora, the young boy is expanding his project to more houses in the village despite bad roads which make it difficult for him to go to towns to purchase the required equipment.
“He is a very innovative student. Besides the biogas he has tried several things from fixing radios and other electronics to making a plane that flew for 100 metres,” Boru noted.
With Adan as an inspiration, more students at his school are coming up with their own projects.
His dream is to pursue engineering at the newly established Borana University in Yebelo.
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