SOLARAID: POWERING CHILDREN’S DREAMS
– Charity calls out for collaboration to bring safe and clean light to every school in sub-Saharan Africa.
On United Nations International Day of Light (16th May), global development charity SolarAid is pledging to support every school in sub-Saharan Africa to have access to clean, safe, solar lighting by 2030. To achieve this, SolarAid is urgently calling on the wider international community to come together to bring safe and clean light to the millions of children who without it, cannot study after sunset and achieve a different future, due to lack of access to electricity.
In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 578 million people live without access to electricity. When the sun sets, millions of school children are forced to study by candle light, causing countless of tragic accidents across the continent each year. Others turn to kerosene lamps, contributing to indoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution leads to over half a million deaths of children under 5 each year*.
SolarAid provides access to solar lights in sub-Saharan Africa and helps to accelerate and catalyse solar markets with renewable light as part of this mission, the charity is now re-launching its programme ‘Light Libraries’ to bring safe light to school children across Malawi, together with Book Aid International.
The Light Libraries, of which the charity has set up 17 in Malawi since 2019, are simple yet incredibly effective. Each school is equipped with solar lights, which pupils can take home to enable them to socialise, study or read with friends and family and open their eyes to a different future. Over the next year 62 more will be opened, with 20 of these in collaboration with Book Aid International who provides the books.
John Keane, Chief Executive of SolarAid says: “Only 7% of the rural population of Malawi (19.1 million) has access to electricity*. Since 2006, SolarAid has been working on combating poverty and climate change by providing solar lights in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Solar lights are small, but the impact they have is immense. We’ve heard from so many wonderful children and teachers, how as a result of access to light they are now able to achieve higher education, and to dream about their future. Having light and books to study and read by powers children’s imagination – helping them to pursue their education so they can grow up to achieve their life goals.”
Dalitso Halario, 13, from the small village of Tembetembe in the Dedza District of Malawi, whose dream is to become a teacher, cites the Light Library as the reason he is doing so well in his education.
Dalitso comments: “We did not have the chance to read books even when I started school. But now my school performance is changing because of the library.I borrow books from the library to read and lamps for lighting when I am reading, and if the teacher gives us an assessment I always perform better.”
The charity is announcing this call out on the wider international community to come together to bring safe and clean light to the millions of children across sub-Saharan Africa on the International Day of Light. A United Nations global initiative, this annual day provides a focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development.
As a part of its wider mission to light up every home, school and clinic in Africa by 2030, using safe, clean, solar power, SolarAid recognises the need for collaboration and partnership. This is also the case for the world to achieve the overall Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The SDGs are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by 2030. Solar Aid is working towards SDG7 – ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all; and Book Aid International is working towards SDG4 – ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
John Keane, Chief Executive of SolarAid continues: “Our goal to light up every school in Malawi and hit the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and therefore continue to help children like Dalitso, is only possible through more support. A donation of just £4 would save a family £159 and give children over a thousand hours extra study time. It will also decrease CO2 emissions by 1.1 tonnes. Powering dreams at the same time as protecting the planet!”
To donate or find out more about SolarAid and the International Day of Light, visit the website here.
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Notes to Editors
For more information on SolarAid please contact [email protected]
Established in 2006, SolarAid is a UK based, international charity that combats poverty and climate change. Through its social enterprise, SunnyMoney, they are working with entrepreneurs, schools and clinics to distribute solar lights to people living without electricity in Zambia in Malawi.
Website: http://solar-aid.org
Social handle: @SolarAid
Case studies of children SolarAid has helped
Dalitso Halario, Dedza, Malawi. Photo: BookAidInternational/SolarAid/Chris Gagnon.
Dalitso Halario
Dalitso Halario, 13, from in the small village of Tembetembe in Dedza District, Malawi.
Dalitso, who’s dream it is to become a teacher, cites the Light Library, with solar lights provided by SolarAid and books provided by Book Aid International, at his school for the reason he is doing well in his education.
He says: “We did not have the chance to read books even when I started school. But now my school performance is changing because of the library,” says Dalitso and continues, “I borrow books from the library to read and lamps for lighting when I am reading, and if the teacher gives us an assessment I always perform better.”
Before the Light Library was introduced to Dalitso’s school, the family used a battery powered torch. Dalitso’s mum, Emilina Palasido explains, “Dalitso was using the torch to study, but the light was weaker than the solar lights are (…) The problem was batteries. Sometimes it happened that the batteries finished when I didn’t have any cash to buy new batteries. But for the solar light, we just charge it in the sun and at night he is able to read without any problems.”
Dalitso believes that by doing well at school, which he says he is due to the solar light, he will go on to get a good job, earn good money and as a result eat well which, in Dalitso’s words will make him “good looking”.
Fabiola Davidson reads by solar light. Photo: BookAidInternational/SolarAid/Chris Gagnon.
Fabriola Davidson
Fabriola Davidson, 15, from in the small village of Tembetembe in Dedza District, Malawi.
Fabriola, who dreams of being a nurse uses the solar light that she is able to rent, alongside a book for as little as 1p from the Light Library at her school, to study in the evening at home and read books to her family.
In the past, the family had to rely on torch light and to buy batteries every day to get light after the sun set. It was a financial strain for the family and not sustainable.
She says: “I was not performing well in class because sometimes, I just read a little bit and the torch light went off. So I failed because I was not able to study enough.”
Having access to solar in the night time has not only improved Fabiola’s study results, it’s proved beneficial for the whole family.
Fabriola says: “We use the solar light to light during eating, studying and when performing other different tasks. I also give it to my siblings once I have finished studying so that they can also perform well in school.”
The joy of the books and lights has also extended to Fabriola’s parents.
Her mother, Elizabeth says: “When she comes from school, she reads to me things that I cannot read. Her reading brings joy in my heart and I am encouraged that she has a future.”