International Lightning Safety Day commemoration

Investigation of lightning mass casualty incident at Kembo Nuuhu Primary School in Buvuma district

RAV4 to take our staff around Uganda safely

School maintenance visits to inspect and repair lightning protectgion systems

Staff development / attendance at ICLP2022 in October

CELEBRATE!  This goal was met by the generous donation of $16,500 ($500 extra to cover insurance, transfer fees, licensure, etc) by the Leo W. and Florence E. Glass Memorial Fund. Our staff THANKS this donor for providing safe transportation.

The ILSD observation was delayed due to a teachers' strike and significant hunger/drought in Uganda preventing participation by government officials in June. We hope to do it in September with Dr Cooper, ACLENet's Director, will be in Uganda.

Please contribute what you can - $3250 will allow an ACLENet staff member to attend ICLP2022 in South Africa in October. Attending this major lightning protection conference will allow them to meet lightning safety advocates from around the world.

This goal was eliminated because we felt transportation to the island was unsafe for our staff due to lack of safety equipment, unreliable vehicles, boat radios to signal for aid if emergencies arose, and other safety factors not available in Uganda.

Please contribute what you can - $1500 will allow us to drive to one school where we have installed lightning protection for our biennial inspection where we test and repair the system and give lightning safety education programs in the community.

Fundraisers

African Centres for Lightning and Electromagnetics Network Inc.

Support our Team! Your donations help save lives.

Month after month, you’ve seen the news accounts of tragic lightning injuries and deaths throughout Africa. The good news? ACLENet is gaining recognition for the work it does to save lives by helping to build lightning safe communities in Africa. In the past year, we’ve received numerous lightning protection inquiries from communities seeking ACLENet’s support, including:

~ Multiple private and mission school systems across Uganda

~ A high school and hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

~ A general surgical hospital in Madagascar

 to help these vulnerable communities. We invite you to join ACLENet’s relief effort to help save lives. Here are ways you can help today:

1. Support International Lightning Safety Day! 

 ACLENet is joining the Uganda government Ministries of Education and Disaster Preparedness and lightning safety advocacy programs around the world to support 

International Lightning Safety Day (ILSD2022)

. The day commemorates the tragic incident when lightning hit Runyanya Primary School on June 28, 2011, killing 18 children and injuring 38 others. A media event with local officials, parents, students and survivors of the incident is expected to raise country-wide awareness. Will you support support ILSD 2022 with a donation? 

 We need a vehicle that can traverse treacherous roads in rural Uganda. A used Toyota RAV4 is an economical, multipurpose starter vehicle that could transport our staff for initial measurement surveys of schools as well as to install lightning protection systems (LPS) at schools that have been sponsored by donors. 

Can you donate a vehicle or contribute for fuel or associated expenses?

3. Sponsor ACLENet Staff to Attend ICLP2022!

  The International Lightning Protection Conference, 

 , one of the world's most prestigious lightning conferences, is meeting on the African continent for the first time. Support ACLENet’s mission by helping to sponsor costs for our staff to attend ICLP so that we can connect in Cape Town and staff a home-base booth for development, enrichment and networking with LP experts and safety advocates from around the world who will be attending. 

4. Support Lightning Safety at African Schools!

  ACLENet does not just install LPS at a school and walk away. We visit each school every two years to make sure the systems are still intact and comply with safety standards. We also provide life-changing lightning safety education programs for the school communities. Plans are underway to inspect LPS for six (6) schools completed in 2016 and 2022 These survey visits will also provide opportunities to teach local school staff members how to perform monthly visual inspections so they can notify us quickly of needed repairs. 

Goal: Raise $1,500 per school by September 30, 2022.

5. Support Lightning Incident Investigations! 

Lightning Mass Casualty Incident such as Kembo Nuuhu Primary School, 17 May 2022

 (featured in our June newsletter), we do our best to travel to investigate the physical damage as well as interview teachers and witnesses and examine survivors. ACLENet then reports findings at international meetings and implements what we learn to tailor our approach to lightning safety and protection across Africa. Past investigations include: 

(3 killed, 72 injured) and Arua incident (10 boys killed playing soccer) to be reported at ICLP2022 meeting. 

 will help us reach these goals! Please let us know where you want your donation to be applied in the comment section of the donation page or write us (macooper@uic.edu) to discuss more details.

THANK YOU for your PRAYERS, DONATIONS, TIME, KIND WORDS, and EMOTIONAL SUPPORT over these last seven years! We have accomplished so much with God's Grace and your support.