A Light in the Dark: SolarBuddy Program Transforms Lives
👋 Hi everyone, it's Alex for another bright story,
Imagine a night without electricity. No lamp to do homework, no light to cook, to fetch water from the well, not even a glimmer of light to avoid accidents or snakes on the way home from school. For tens of thousands of children and their families in Sumba, this darkness is a daily reality.
But something is changing. Through the SolarBuddy program, we will donate and distribute 2,224 solar lamps to the most remote villages and schools. These lamps are not just a source of light (which are charged by solar energy). They allow children to learn after the sun goes down, reduce the risk of household accidents, and replace dangerous and toxic kerosene lamps.
We have created an interactive map to show where these lamps will be distributed over the next five months. In yellow, are the schools where each child will receive one of the 2,224 SolarBuddy solar lamps that we received, thanks to Solarbuddy.org and Rotary International.
A little clarification, friends: It is in fact 2200 SolarBuddy Junior and 24 SolarBuddy Student that we are going to give to as many children and schools.
💡A major step forward.
But this map also highlights a brutal reality: More than 110 schools and villages remain in the dark, depriving well over 10,000 children and their families of a safer and more dignified life. The yellow and gray dots represent the schools and villages without electricity in East Sumba, where we work.
This program for the foundation, and for me, Alex, is a fight against energy injustice. Because a lamp is also a tool for emancipation.
And as I often say:
“Light is much more than just lighting: it is a catalyst for education, opportunity and progress.”
💡 A victory for light
One more little thing: Importing 2,224 SolarBuddy lamps into Indonesia was a real challenge, which no one had ever succeeded in doing before. Three months of negotiations, dozens of letters, hundreds of calls, etc. But we succeeded: Total exemption from taxes and customs fees, i.e. 300 million rupiah saved (about US$ 18k).
This is the first for an NGO in Indonesia, and it is a collective success for SolarBuddy, Rotary, Fair Future, and Kawan Baik. Thanks to this victory, 2,200 children and their families will finally receive light. A feat for the benefit of thousands of lives. ✨
Well, that being said, we still have a long way to go, but each SolarBuddy Solar Lamp that we bring changes a destiny. So, together, let's light up the future of these children. Are you ready?
🗺️ Discover the interactive map and join our mission here.
🖼️ See photos about the power of light here.
📰 All articles about the SolarBuddy program are here.
🪧 Take a look at all our original posters and campaigns here.
Thank you for following us, for supporting us. Every action counts.
See you soon. Alex Wettstein |
