One of our projects that we started last year and for which we still need support is our solar energy installation. Unfortunately, we cannot rely on our municipal services and need to create our own sustainable sources of electricity and water. Constant and irregular power outages, known here as ‘Loadshedding’, have been disrupting the continuous course of lessons for many years. The board of the DSD has now approved a proposal from Starrate IT for a 20.72 kW solar energy system, which includes 56 solar modules, an inverter, and a 64.44 kWh battery so that the school can function optimally.
The project costs amount to approximately ZAR900,000, which will lead to an estimated annual electricity savings of ZAR102,000 per year, and a payback period of six years and eight months. The project has started, but will be implemented gradually as funds become available. The initial funding was provided from the existing financial resources of the school and donations from parents. All solar modules will be installed by the end of March (roof repairs were necessary in the auditorium after the devastating floods two years ago), but we still need about ZAR400,000 for the batteries to get the system operational.
Neither the South African nor the German government supports us financially, and our established base of donors is shrinking as the second generation of families who have supported us from the beginning do not always have the same connection to us. We are also experiencing growing interest from non-German-speaking parents who want to provide their children with an international education. Often these are low-income families facing financial challenges, and we support them with scholarships, which affects our financial reserves for projects like this.
Your support would be invaluable and would help us continue to provide our students with an education that can compete with any other international school. The German foundation arm of our school (Förderer der Deutschen Schule Durban e.V.) https://www.dsdurban.co.za/de/forderer-der-dsd/ can issue donation certificates that offer tax advantages. Please let me know if your organization can possibly sponsor our solar project in whole or in part, and whether I can submit a detailed application?
If you require further information or details before making a decision, please do not hesitate to write to me at development@dsdurban.co.za or contact me by phone or via Whatsapp at +27 83 7858566.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and possible support. Your contribution would help the Deutsche Schule Durban continue to be a vibrant and inclusive educational institution.
