SolarBuddy lamps Matawai Pandangu bring safe light and simple health gains to class
Remote school receives tracked solar lamps and reusable water containers
In Matawai Pandangu, our dedicated teams from Fair Future and Kawan Baik Indonesia traversed the final rocky kilometres to reach a bamboo school, which lacked basic amenities such as water and electricity. This school, home to approximately twenty inquisitive children, is now a beacon of hope through the SolarBuddy lamps initiative. This project transcends mere device delivery; it enhances child safety on dark paths, extends study sessions beyond sundown, and serves as a tangible lesson in sustainable energy for a community disconnected from the grid.
Under the guidance of Niluh and Susanti, teachers and students learned how to harness the sun’s power to charge these lamps and maintain the batteries, ensuring their longevity. Ingeniously, each lamp was housed in a five-litre container with a tap, converting the packaging into a vessel for collecting clean water. This not only mitigates exposure to unsafe water sources but also significantly reduces the risk of water-borne diseases, a common hazard in rural settings.
Moreover, each lamp was meticulously catalogued in our tracking system, ensuring follow-up and accountability. Shared units were allocated to teachers for classroom use, while personal lamps enabled children to enjoy up to ten hours of light after a full charge. This initiative is both simple and profoundly impactful, combining technical innovation with human compassion to safeguard eyesight, prevent injuries during nighttime walks, and nurture education in one of East Sumba’s most isolated schools.
We cordially invite all captivated by this story to explore our photo gallery, witness this extraordinary effort, and further engage with our mission through our Instagram account.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – the 4th of November, 2025
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