The schools in the outlying regions Fatick, Kolda, Tambacounda, and Ziguinchor face critical challenges of extreme poverty, low enrolment, especially amongst girls, and poor infrastructure. While the integration of technology may once have seemed a distant goal for these schools, it is now becoming a dynamic platform at the forefront of inspiring learning.


Under the U.S. Agency for International Development Educational Quality Improvement Program 2, over 5,000 students in these rural schools have utilized EarthWalk's mobile computer solutions powered by the EcoSolar2 Power System, and hundreds of students are able to take advantage of summer computer training programs held in conjunction with community projects.


EarthWalk's EcoSolar2 Power System utilizes the latest in solar-power technology to enable a laptop environment to continue operating when a regular power infrastructure is interrupted or unavailable. This system allows for both the collection and storage of power that is then used to power EarthWalk's mobile solutions. To produce electricity, EarthWalk has designed a 216-watt poly-crystalline solar panel that incorporates an advanced surface texturing process to increase light absorption and improve efficiency.

Designed to withstand rigorous outdoor operating conditions around the world, this unit offers the highest power output per square for a solar array and can withstand tropical climates, sand, and heat. Solar-cell-sealed lead-acid batteries provide up to 24 volts of maximum power output and are used for power storage. A heavy-duty fourteen-gauge storage cabinet built for extreme conditions can store and secure up to six solar batteries.

EarthWalk solutions require no additional infrastructure and run at 85% electrical efficiency; and EarthWalk's extended-length SideKick batteries are designed to power a laptop without the use of electricity for a full school day, charging at night when less power is being consumed by the community.