Join Our Team!
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
~ A medical center in Tanzania
~ A church in Kenya
We need YOUR help 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? Goal: Raise $4,000 by June 20, 2022
2. Donate a Vehicle! 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, ICLP2022 , 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. Goal: Raise $3,250 per staff member.
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! Whenever there is a 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: Mongoyo Primary School (3 killed, 72 injured) and Arua incident (10 boys killed playing soccer) to be reported at ICLP2022 meeting. Goal: Raise $3,200 by July 20, 2022.
Friends, ANY amount you can contribute 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.