Greenpeace: Kenya's Obama Schools e-mail President Obama on Climate Change
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Kogelo, Kenya/Copenhagen, Denmark (ots)
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http://www.presseportal.ch/de/pm/100001640/?langid=2 -Pupils and students of the Senator Obama schools in Western Kenya have sent their first emails using solar energy to US President Barack Obama. They urge him to put his weight behind renewable energy in the run-up to Copenhagen which is just days away. A copy of the mail and a drawing was sent to the Greenpeace Solar Generation Youth delegation in Copenhagen who handed it over to the US ambassador in Denmark asking him to inform Obama when he will be his host.
The excited Kenyan pupils sent a strong message; "Please President Obama do something. We just want to ask you to help other children all the over the world access solar power. Teacher Ann sees connection of climate change and the drought in Kogelo village and said that solar power is a solution to climate change. Help protect the climate, this is our future."
Making reference to some of the drawings of solar panels sitting at the old iron sheet roofs of their classrooms and those of Mama Sarah Obama, the grandmother of the US president, the pupils informed him that hadn't it been for solar power, they would have never afforded to reach him through email. Their counterparts at secondary level in a separate email made a simple request asking him to use his "great office to encourage the utilization of renewable energies such as solar power," they said. "We want other students in communities similar to ours to be able to enjoy their education like we do here in Kogelo."
The Solar Power was installed by Greenpeace SolarGeneration project in August 2009. The ability to call on world leaders to protect the environment by such under privileged children who had never seen a computer until later this year is a reminder to world leaders ahead of the UN Climate summit that the world needs greener energies and this is their moment to make the breakthrough that they have promised on climate change. Bidding Obama a safe trip to Copenhagen, the students ended with "We hope you can".
Pictures: http://www.greenpeace.ch/de/presse/pressebilder/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19IVrm_Ku-o
Contact:
Fiona Musana
Communications Director
Greenpeace Africa
Tel.: +27/79-512-9381
E-Mail: fmusana@greenpeace.org
Joshiah Ramogi
Project Coordinator
Greenpeace Switzerland
Mobile: +41/79/815'23'22
E-Mail: Buero.Bern@ch.greenpeace.org