Notes from the Field

Tyler Bradford, a Peace Corp Volunteer, gave light to communities in rural Madagascar, while helping with malaria prevention strategies there.

Kids N Culture is a company that aims to create a generation of culturally aware and globally active youth through a rigorous curriculum and unique travel experiences. The 2016 class recently returned from a trip to Tanzania where they focused on learning about African culture and history, and spent time rebuilding a local primary school. As part of their service work, the students worked in a school to remodel a building of run-down classrooms for the Tanzanian students and teachers. In addition to cleaning, rebuilding, and painting these rooms, the students were able to provide the staff with 12 donated LuminAID lights. Read more to learn about Kids N Culture, and hear one student’s first-hand account.

Pam Hess, a volunteer from Step of Faith Ministry, recently completed her second trip to distribute lights in Haiti! She worked with other volunteers in the remote areas of Laca’jue, a village with no electricity. Keep reading to see her testimonials and some amazing pictures from the trip!

John and Alison Bront spent 8 months in Galmi, supporting work at Galmi hospital, a well-known and respected institution in Niger. During their stay, they were also able to distribute many lights to those in need! Read their story here.

Earlier this year, we donated lights to the American Foundation for Children with AIDS. The organization has been working with children infected and affected by AIDS and their guardians since 2005, as well as with hospitals and clinics who care for these young ones. Read more about how donated lights illuminated lives in Kenya.

Last November, LuminAID partnered with the Himalayan Stove Project, a US Based humanitarian and philanthropic program, to help them distribute lights in Nepal after the earthquake. This is their story.

The latest installment in our Notes from the Field series comes from Kristen Ragazzo, an elementary school teacher who's lifelong dream has been to travel to Nepal. After last year's devastating earthquake, Kristen and her husband coordinated a trip to distribute LuminAID lights to communities that are still in need and shares the impact of the lights below: 

In January, we partnered with the organization, Finding Freedom Through Friendship, to distribute lights to Mayan women in Guatemala. Jody Greenlee, Executive Director, and LynnAnn Murphy, a volunteer, tell their story of how the lights changed lives in Guatemala.

When Anna and Andrea were attaching batteries and solar panels together to make the first solar inflatable lanterns in their kitchen, the two graduate students knew little about how far their lights would go. 5 years later, the little idea of the LuminAID light found its way to Malawi in southeast Africa, to help families whose houses has been destroyed by extreme flooding. Anna and Andrea had the opportunity to help out, and see the impact of LuminAID lights in person -- for the first time.