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Image courtesy of NOAA
As of today, over 7,000 solar lanterns and phone chargers have been sent to the Bahamas for Hurricane Dorian relief, with more on the way. We are continuing to collect sponsorships through our Give Light, Get Light program, for lights that will be sent to our partner organizations on the ground.
Earlier this week LuminAID Co-Founder, Andrea Sreshta was interviewed by Chicago's NBC 5 and shared how solar phone chargers are being used in the Bahamas. NBC 5's Charlie Wojciechowski demonstrates just how easy they are to use and the impact they can have on a family without power.
We will continue to provide updates as we begin to get more details back from our partners on where LuminAID lights have been distributed.
Over 5,000 LuminAID solar lanterns and phone chargers have been sent to the Bahamas for Hurricane Dorian relief and more are on the way. Our nonprofit partners on the ground have begun distributing the lights and have reported a continuing need for light and power. Many families who are not in shelters are living out of their cars, as reported by Jose Andres of World Central Kitchen.
We will continue to provide updates next week as more LuminAID lights arrive and are distributed. We are also monitoring a tropical storm that may impact relief efforts over the weekend, due to increased rainfall and high winds in areas already affected by Hurricane Dorian.
In addition to fresh meals, our #ChefsForBahamas @WCKitchen team on Abaco has been handing out solar lamps, which can also charge phones! With no electricity in Marsh Harbor, it sometimes is the only light we see...many families are living out of their vehicles... pic.twitter.com/k32qTOmztA
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) September 12, 2019
LuminAID partner Mercy Corps is on the ground and 500 solar lanterns sponsored by our Give Light, Get Light program are en route to the Bahamas. According to Mercy Corps, the death toll in the Bahamas has risen to 43 people and is expected to rise further. More than 70,000 people on Abaco and Grand Bahama need life-saving assistance, but reaching the islands remains incredibly difficult. Mercy Corps is already distributing 2-in-1 solar lanterns and phone chargers, so that survivors can charge essential devices and access emergency services.
Mercy Corps reports: “We have distributed 100 solar lanterns so far, including 40 to a healthcare center in Marsh Harbor, 30 to a hospital in Freeport and, through a local organization called Hands for Hunger, 30 lanterns to the smaller affected island of Little Abaco. We have another 500 solar lanterns that we are bringing to the Bahamas.”
LuminAID partner organization Mercy Corps is on the ground in the Bahamas with LuminAID 2-in-1 lanterns and phone chargers. According to Anthony Lecossois, "We know there is going to be very extensive damage." See the full interview here.
Hurricane Dorian is a slow-moving storm whose strong winds and torrential rain pounded the Bahamas over the weekend. The extent of the damage on the islands is still uncertain, but many have called the destruction unprecedented. With the islands flooded and many homes destroyed, relief teams are already arriving to provide emergency medical care, search and rescue, and essential aid items. We are working with partner organizations including Convoy of Hope, Mercy Corps, and World Central Kitchen, who are deploying to provide food, shelter, and solar lanterns and phone chargers. Stay up-to-date by following @LuminAIDLab on Twitter.
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