Give the gift of light & help educate children

Pitch-black darkness during childbirth in Zimbabwe

While living and working in the field many years ago I discovered the reality of living in energy poverty, and what this means in all areas of life. I will never forget the reality of childbirth in these conditions.  

Mothers with broken waters often walk all day or night to reach birthing suites to receive midwife support during labour, but the conditions when they reach them do not bring much comfort. As Zimbabwe faces highly regular power outages, the facilities experience blackouts that can last for hours. Can you imagine what it feels like to give birth in total pitch-black darkness?  

Speaking to midwives on the ground, I learned that during these blackouts, the only lighting is from toxic kerosene lanterns, phone lights held by midwives in their mouths, or very poor-quality solar lanterns. 

Last month our NGO partner on the ground, Cambodia Rural Students Trust (CRST), distributed 355 lights to children from Khnar Krav Primary School. This is a school among many that lacks access to electricity, limiting the opportunity for studying after the sun sets. 

CRST have a mission that strongly aligns with our own to break the cycle of poverty for Cambodian students through education. Providing students with light is an essential part of that.

Limited access to electricity can lead to children leaving school early, as less study time as well as economic pressures to work can leave students unmotivated. We hope to change this for rural students by gifting solar lights, inspiring them to stay motivated, continue their studies and break the cycle of poverty.  

It is not lost on me that energy poverty is experienced by children in Australia, predominantly in remote indigenous communities. Last month, we delivered our Make 2, Keep 1, Gift 1 program to students at Bwcgolman Community School on Palm Island. This sees students build two lights, one for their own families and one to send to a ‘buddy’ overseas.  

Andy Martin, the Education Program Coordinator at SolarBuddy was joined by a team of wonderful volunteers from our valued partner TechnologyOne to deliver the program. Andy shared a particularly confronting story about the trip, about how a young students’ family of 5 had been removed from their accomodation, and was sleeping in a tent on the beach with no electricity access. He noted how the light this student built would bring dignity to their family.

Thank you for your continued support of our mission to illuminate the lives of children across the world.

Wishing you a safe, happy and healthy end of year and festive season.

Simon Doble

Founder and Global CEO