Charity: SolarAid
Since the age of 7, when Miguel Ramirez built his first solar powered gadget at School, he was amazed by the power that could be harnessed by the sun. This interest evolved when the Texan-born World of Difference Winner, travelled to Sierra Leone and India, where he noticed the lack of clean energy despite the abundance of sunshine.
In 2006, Miguel began an MA in conflict resolution at the University of Bradford . There he researched the causes and effects of environmental insecurity in Sierra Leone and saw the effects this had on the local population.
In July 2008, Miguel became a full-time volunteer of the London office of SolarAid. Its mission is to relieve poverty through facilitating the provision of solar power. This is achieved by training local communities to fit devices, such as kerosene lamps, with solar power, and enable villages to set-up sustainable micro-businesses to continue this work.
Miguel will now work with SolarAid as a programme assistant. His role will be to research ways of solving energy needs in poor countries. For example, researching new lantern designs and developing relations with local African solar companies. He will also help the London office with much needed IT support, ensuring the office can work more efficiently.
More information on SolarAid can be found at www.solar-aid.org