The Kite Runners

Help Support the Kite Runners! We are accepting donations to help the Kite Runners and their efforts to get all Afghan teams started in Kabul. As you read this story, realize that your donation is going to help the students in Afghanistan learn important skills for their society. Your donation can make a huge difference.

[If there are surplus funds after helping the Afghan teams, we will use the surplus to provide support to the FIRSTWA programs across our state. We are a 100% volunteer effort. We have no paid staff and run on minimal overhead. Your contributions will make a positive impact!]

The following are pictures of the Kite Runners, the only known FIRST LEGO League team in Afghanistan. They are located in Kabul.

The Kite Runners have a unique international flair. Two of the students are Afghan, two are from the Philipines, one is American, one from Finland, and one from Tajikistan. The mentor is from the Philipines and works for an NGO helping the Afghans rebuild. His goal is to eventually get FLL into the local schools.

The Project

Each year, FLL teams are given a project.

The Project

Select a building in your community and evaluate the energy use.

With your team, discuss the different energy sources used in your community and what the current energy issues are in the area where you live. Then choose a building in your community, like a school or municipal building. Contact the manager of that building, discuss the project, and ask for his/her help in performing an energy audit. In this audit, your team should look at the types of energy used throughout the building, how it is used, and the amount used. Contact experts in the field and examine the process by which different types of energy are made and the important effects of producing and using them, such as costs, availability, and environmental issues.

Consult the “Project Resources” page on the website for instructions and sample materials of what is needed to perform an energy audit.
Talk to experts and propose solutions to reduce consumption or move toward alternative energy use.

Once you know the energy needs of your chosen building, look at the areas of improvement to find solutions. How efficient is the energy use? How could you make it better? What about their sources of energy?

Research potential alternate energy solutions and propose short-term and long-term changes that can be made to move toward renewable energy or reduced consumption. Can you find an innovative way to reduce energy use or change to a more sustainable energy source? Is there a new technology that could be developed to better support specific needs? Maybe there are scientists or engineers that you could contact who are already working on such a solution. Consider all areas of the building and community this change might impact and how realistic your solution is. You should show exactly how your solution would create a positive change.
Share the changes for your building with the community.

Once you have researched and developed your solution, get out there and share it with your community! Event judges will expect you to explain how you showed the community your short- and long-term solutions and the information you have to back up your ideas. Use this project as an opportunity to see just how big an impact you and your team can have on your community and your world.

A Unique Situation

The Kite Runners project has a slightly different angle to it, but is still within the spirit of the project. Because of the situation in Kabul, families must adopt alternative energy sources as a necessity. The basic ideas about knowing where your energy comes from are critical, but in this unique situation, rather than conserving energy, the Kite Runners are going to focus on how to make use of the limited amount of energy available. They also need a way to store energy to mitigate the limited time that it is available.

The Family

The Kite Runners project is to do an energy audit of a typical Afghan home in Kabul. This is the family. They live down the street from the Kite Runners. The home they live in was heavily damaged over the years of fighting. They do not own the home, they are staying their with permission of the owners.

The father and son. The father, Mr. Noor Ahmad, is disabled. He lost a leg below the knee. His current employment is as a security guard at a bicycle parking lot in Kabul. He earns about $50 per month. This is the family income. It is a typical income. The average for most workers in Kabul is about $800 per year.

The father is also a very wise man. When the Kite Runners approached him about allowing them to do their project research, the father was quick to ask that his sons be allowed to participate in FLL. This is very astute. Even though his family is very poor and living in difficult circumstances, this man is wise enough to understand the importance of his children learning about science and technology. He wants to make sure his children have an opportunity to improve their situation.

There are several hurdles to overcome in the next year to make his request a reality. The Kite Runners need to help organize a team suitable for the Afghan students. There is currently a language barrier to overcome.The Kite Runners common language is english being that the members of the team are from 5 different countries. The Kite Runners are hoping to get the sons enrolled in english classes before next season. These classes cost $50 per month per student, which is far beyond the reach of the Afghan family. FIRSTWA is willing to help with raising funds for the team.

Another issue is the cost of the supplies. By the time you factor in the cost of shipping, cost of a computer, cost of the LEGO kit, and other supplies, it will take about $1500 to get a team started in Afghanistan. This is nearly twice the yearly income for an Afghan family, which puts it well out of the realm of possibility. FIRSTWA is working to raise funds for this purpose as well.

Working on the energy audit means doing some diagrams and documentation. The team is investigating where the energy in the house is going. They are investigating the insulation, the heat sources and losses, and also investigating what would be useful for the family to help improve their situation.

The Kite Runners are looking at the kit of parts. They didn't have the new mat yet, so this is last years mat.

They are also brainstorming some ideas on what they can do for their research project. They have come up with their energy audit. They are also planning on actually doing something positive with their research.

After doing much research, they have decided to actually help the family by insulating their house. They are also going to install a battery backed lighting system.

The power in Kabul is only on for 5 hours every other day. If you need or want electricity, you must use alternative methods for generating or storing it. The Kite Runners are going to help the Family by installing a battery backed lighting system for their home. It will consist of lights for 3 rooms which are run from a battery system. The battery system needs to be sized large enough so the lights can operate the three fluorescent fixtures for a couple of days. The batteries will be recharged when the power is available from the city power grid.

Here is a picture of the Kite Runners and the Afghan children of the family. The only names I know for sure are Daniel (third from left), DJ (fourth), Nesyar (fifth, and eldest son of the Family). The two family children on the left.

Installation of the Battery System

The team built and installed a battery system in the house. This battery box holds a pair of batteries and a charger to recharge when the public power comes on.

The wiring and installation was done with adult supervision to insure that the family will be safe. Note the holes in the box will allow hydrogen to escape the box, and also will help with cooling the box during the charging cycle.

Other heat related projects

A primary source of heat for the family is the Sandali, which is a coal powered heater. It is kept under a table in the room.

The team also insulated the windows. One team member is bringing in the lights to the house.

The Teams Robot

And, after all that, the team is also working on their robot design and construction!

About the team

The team is being run by David Delos Santos. He started his FLL team for his two children, Daniel and DJ. David works for a company that provides technical support for Non-Governmental Organizations helping in Afghanistan. Several of his friends in the area also have students on the team. David and his family have been in Afghanistan for 3 years, and expect to be there for a total of 6 years. David is educating his sons, and also using their unique situation to help as much as they can.