Notes from the Field

To provide safe access to light, Students for Africa distributed LuminAID solar lanterns in Meserani, a Maasai village located in Tanzania’s Same District. Light and power are crucial for sustenance in any rural area, especially at night. “Having portable light makes it easier to walk at night and also more comfortable indoors. Women are able to cook in the home after dark and children are able to do their homework.”

A partnership between the Gosford North Rotary Club and Thrive Madagascar brings safe, energy efficient light to the country's under-electrified regions. Through training women in healthcare skills, this program empowers women to be leaders in their communities and increases levels of access to neonatal and maternity care in historically under-served regions of Madagascar. LuminAID solar lights enable newly trained health workers to expand access to regions that previously relied entirely on daylight to illuminate their homes. 

Phone use is widespread worldwide, and is an important tool for refugees in particular. 86% of refugees interviewed in Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan owned a mobile phone. But 9 out of 10 refugees live in settlements without ready access to electricity. LuminAID solar phone chargers provide a portable solution to help keep families safe and connected to loved ones. Read about why charged phones are important for refugees, and how solar can help. 

Inefficient and unsafe lights are not only dangerous for human health, but for the health of the Earth as well. Solar is a naturally renewable energy, and relying on it for basic energy needs can improve environmental as well as household air quality—improving air quality for individuals and the global community. LuminAID solar lights provide a rechargeable green energy option for basic lighting needs, reducing dependence on kerosene and fuelwood.

Light can be more than a tool for after dark; it is also a source of comfort and safety in dark times. Families living in temporary shelters following disasters are often left in uncertainty when the sun sets. LuminAID solar lights offer comfort and safety when conditions are unstable. LuminAID lanterns with phone charging also provide the comfort of keeping in contact with family members and emergency services. 

Second only to agriculture, craft-making is the second most common employment in rural areas worldwide. Many craft-makers must work in the light of kerosene lanterns, or restrict their work to daylight hours. Solar lanterns provide the safe and sufficient lighting that is integral for craft-makers and self-employed artisans.

Without access to electricity or other clean lighting options, health providers in these areas struggle to provide life-saving care after dark. Particularly in rural areas, LuminAID solar lighting can relieve the financial burden associated with fuel-based light sources, and allow these health clinics to focus precious funds on serving patients. 

ShelterBox brought LuminAID solar lights to Dominica and other Caribbean Islands where power was knocked out by Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma. Safe light and shelter are helping these communities recover from the devastating storms.

One surprising result of access to safe lighting is its positive impact on women and girls. Women using LuminAID solar lanterns reported increased feelings of safety at night. Access to solar light reduces manual labor that particularly affects girls and women, allows female artisans to work comfortably and safely, and reduces dangerous household fumes produced by fuel-based lighting sources.Safe light helps free up women’s time for education activities and allows them to pursue studying even after dark.