Quality control in Sumba guarantees well-lit and safer nights for children and schools.
Swiss precision and Rotary teamwork ensure that every lamp functions correctly and remains traceable.
Volunteers and Rotary members test, repair, label, and register 2,224 SolarBuddy lamps for East Sumba.
“Light is safety, health, and learning. Testing each lamp is a promise to every child.” —Alex Wettstein
In East Sumba, night falls swiftly and feels overwhelming for children in villages lacking electricity. This darkness is not serene but rather an impediment. Without light, education is hindered, pathways become treacherous, and reliance on kerosene lamps endangers their respiratory health with toxic fumes. Post-sunset living signifies risk, exposure to illness, and constraints on learning.
Lighting serves a broader purpose than mere visibility. It signifies safety, pride, and well-being. A small solar lamp helps prevent injuries on rugged paths, minimises household mishaps, and replaces harmful emissions with clean energy. It empowers children to study at home, allows mothers to cook safely, and lets families unite without fearing fire or suffocation. Accordingly, light contributes to a nutritious diet, higher education levels, and safeguards against avoidable injuries.
Driven by this transformative mission, the Fair Future Foundation and Kawan Baik Indonesia have, in collaboration with SolarBuddy and Rotary, delivered 2,224 solar lamps to children and 24 larger lamps for schools in East Sumba. This initiative stands as one of the most extensive in the area, serving communities that remain off the grid. Yet, delivery is only the inception. Navigating through six months of logistical hurdles—from securing import permits and tax exemptions to transportation via land and sea routes—these lights eventually reached Rumah Kambera, our socio-medical hub.
Before entering the hands of children, each lamp underwent stringent testing. Over two demanding days, a dedicated team of more than ten volunteers, along with Rotary members Bridget, Adrian, and John, engaged in an exhaustive quality assurance process. Five specialised workshops were organised: functional testing, registration into the SolarBuddy Tracker app for seamless tracking, labelling, packaging, and minor repair tasks. Each of the 2,224 lamps was scrutinised, corrected for any minor defects, and assigned unique codes for long-term traceability. Even the storage containers—each accommodating 50 lamps—were repurposed as water tanks to enhance sanitation in schools.
Our commitment as a Swiss foundation to quality control is profound, enriched by 16 years of foundational accomplishments in humanitarian and sustainable projects. It embodies our pledge not just to technical precision but to ensuring that each lamp operates effectively. Our innovative digital system ensures broken lamps are promptly repaired or replaced, signifying our promise of sustainability in an often-overlooked region.
The spirit at Rumah Kambera during those testing days was marked by focus, dedication, and a collective aim. Volunteers diligently tested, labelled, and repaired, driven by the certainty that each lamp could revolutionise a child’s life. Together with our Rotary partners, we converted a convoy of gear into a beacon of safety and opportunity.
Soon, these lamps will traverse the East Sumba terrain, reaching villages accessible solely by motorbike or on foot. There, they will redefine daily life for countless children and families, intertwining the gift of light with the promise of a healthier life, evenings unburdened by fear, and futures moulded by learning and security.
Today, the 15th of August 2025 – Alex Wettstein
- Click here to view our interactive map showing in yellow the schools and villages receiving SolarBuddy lamps, and in grey those still waiting for access to electricity.
- Click here to download the PDF presenting the full SolarBuddy program, detailing the distribution of 2,224 lamps to children and schools in East Sumba.
- Click here to view the gallery of nearly 60 images capturing the two days of SolarBuddy lamp quality control at Rumah Kambera.
In Short – Safe Light, Stronger Futures
By testing and repairing 2,224 SolarBuddy lamps at Rumah Kambera, children in East Sumba will gain more than just light. Safe solar lamps replace toxic kerosene, prevent injuries at night, and allow students hours to read and learn after dark. Families breathe cleaner air, share safer meals, and walk without fear on unlit paths. For parents, it offers confidence that their children can grow, study, and thrive in healthier, safer environments.
SolarBuddy quality control at Rumah Kambera
List of Related Organisations with Hyperlinks
- SolarBuddy — Provides solar lights to children living in energy poverty.
- Rotary International — Global service network funding and supporting community projects.
- UNICEF — Protects children’s rights to health, education, and safety.
- WHO — Leads global action on public health and clean household energy.
- Lighting Global — World Bank program advancing off-grid solar solutions.
- IRENA — Promotes renewable energy for sustainable development.
