Solar-run Glassboats

In Aqaba (Jordan) by the Red Sea, most of the fishermen lost their jobs and trade due to recessing fishing boundaries due to political reasons. The fishermen had to join the glass-boats operators to make a living. Glass-boats take tourists to see red sea corals. Already, it was hard to cover their expenses. The glass boats needed fuel (money) and they polluted the Red sea and hurt the rich sea environment. In order to assist this sector, I channelled free technical assistance from the Netherlands, via a PUM senior volunteers program (www.pum.nl). Together we walked the glass boats operators through tourism training: how to talk to tourism, taught them a bit of business English, how to make their round (cruising line), their pricing and calculate their revenue (they used just to spend money and count the return without a clue about profit and loss) and how to fix and maintain their boats and engines. Finally, we designed for them fibreglass boats that are light and can be operated by solar batteries. However, the cost of the mold to make the boat(s) was too high and the local officials did not approve any budget. I still dream of being able to buy the mold and get solar operated batteries to avoid the fuel spills and help reduce cost for the fishermen-turned glass-boats operators and for the original glass-boats operators.