The Rotary Club of Babcock Ranch, the Rotary Club of Kyiv-Capital (Ukraine) and their 15 partner Rotary clubs are fundraising to complete a project to install solar on Maternity House KNP in Chernihiv, north central Ukraine. UPDATE: We have raised $148,000 from Rotary Clubs and must raise another $20,000 from clubs and individuals to fund the solar installation and a job training program. Project specifics: The hospital needs the solar system and backup battery because it must operate for many hours a day with far less power than needed to run incubators, perform surgeries, conduct lab tests, and generally run a life-sustaining maternity hospital. The hospital had 30,000 inpatient and out patient visitors during 2022-2023. Ukraine is operating on a precarious, reduced-power electricity schedule due to the decimation of its energy grid since the full-scale invasion of their country by Russia in 2022. One of our valued partners in this effort is the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which has produced a report detailing estimated costs and energy savings. The Rotary Club of Kyiv-Capital is a registered non-profit in Ukraine that works extensively on projects benefiting children. Together we will review proposals from Ukrainian solar installers and select the best provider. We will be seeking a Ukrainian installation company that does not source Chinese panels, per our funders' requirements. Our solar installation project will include trainings to encourage adults and trade school students to pursue careers in solar energy, particularly for veterans returning from the war. More details:Solar4Chernihiv

Photo: © European Union, 2023 (photographer: Oleksandr Ratushnyak)