Enhancing lives with light

Solar reading lights for school
children in Peru

My role as a journalist in the building industry means that I am exposed to some really innovative technology. In 2010, Philips Lighting travelled across Africa to spread the message of simply enhancing life with light through avenues such as bringing communities together at an evening game of football and enabling children to do school homework at night. These and many more activities would have been restricted without light from the sun, however with Philip’s solar light solutions, new social, healthcare and education possibilities could be created.

This lighting roadshow across Africa inspired me to see if Philips might be interested in getting involved with my project. Once I sorted out my volunteer trip, I approached my contacts there to see if they might have some portable solar lighting solutions suitable for the Peruvian Amazon. Their incredible team subsequently donated some of this ground-breaking technology, of which I then carried with me along my journey.*

Queros Indigenous Community

The MLC has a good relationship with the Queros community and even arranges for the volunteers to visit at the end of their placement. During my visit, I brought along portable solar lamps to be used for evening community meetings and nighttime emergencies. 

I also brought with solar reading lamps and gave them to the local school. These innovative and compact lamps illuminate books/papers to allow students to read and study at night. I also handed out solar powered and wind up torches to the Queros community. These not only act as bright LED torches, but have a mobile phone charger as well, which can provide the community with the opportunity for mobile phone communication (if they travel to areas with reception, of course).

Shintuya Indigenous Community

The Harakmbut people of Shintuya have a reputation of being some of the fiercest warriors in the Amazon. I was warned that they might come across as quite serious initially, which is understandable considering recent circumstances (oil exploration) and the fact I am a complete stranger. I was brought to Shintuya because their very basic medical centre would benefit from Philip’s portable solar light, as the facility has less than two hours of generator electricity a day. This means that if there were a medical emergency at night, there would most likely be no light to aid any treatment. I met up with a community leader and a local nurse to give them this donation and explain how it works.

The Manu Learning Centre (MLC)

This is where I was staying whilst working as a volunteer. Based in the Manu Biosphere Reserve, the MLC is quite isolated and has a generator that is turned on for an hour of electricity only twice a week. Battery-fuelled head torches and candles are the sources of light once darkness falls, so a portable solar light was definitely needed. This donation will allow the science team to work later into the day, provide good lighting for the kitchen staff (preparing evening meals for MLC staff and volunteers) and can supply quick and strong lighting for any nighttime emergencies.

 The lamp was already used for a medical incident when I was there. One of the volunteers had a nasty thorn stuck in his hand and had a nurse (who was volunteering there) remove it under the lamp’s bright light.

*A special thanks goes to fellow volunteer Lara Finan, who helped me by carrying a couple of solar lights out with her (as I couldn’t fit them all in my luggage). Thank you so much Lara!

Frankie’s Encyclopaedia of the Weird and Wonderful found at the MLC

Dinner Face Attacker:  This energetic critter (a.k.a. "cicada") enjoys leaping at your face when you are sitting at a candle lit table. It’s sheer force and scary buzzing sound upon impact can be quite nerve-wracking when trying to enjoy a well-earned meal.


Queen of the Jungle: This photo was snapped at night with a camera trap, where a sensor signals movement and sets off a camera device. The MLC has identified a larger than expected number of jaguars in the reserve, which is most likely due to habitat loss in surrounding and unprotected areas

Party (and sleep) Crashers: They might look cute and tiny in the day, but at night these little monsters (a.k.a. bats) like to make themselves noticed. This is achieved through urinating all over the staff and volunteers in the common area (as some have made a home in a ceiling nook) as well as attacking prey loudly in the wee hours.




Furry-fanged Tarantula: Found lurking around outside my accommodation at the MLC, this large hairy-scary spider was gracious enough to have its photo taken by five volunteers. I envisaged it would leap at my face, but it didn’t. It just quietly crawled away back into the forest after the photo shoot was over.


Clown Critter: It’s colourful and crawly – it’s the Tetrio Sphinx Caterpillar. This bright and meaty looking insect is rather large and likes to hang around its caterpillar family and friends in the rainforest.


Bug-alien Hybrid: Also known as a katydid, this otherworldly insect comes in various shapes and colours, including fluorescent green. It also goes through metamorphosis (and I witnessed this process whilst going on a night hike)

Jurassic Park Beetle: Spotting this clumsy and slow-moving rhinoceros beetle really made me realise that I was staying in the rainforest, as it was so large and primitive looking. I am not a huge fan of insects, but this strange creature really was a thing of beauty.

Orapendula Nest

Alarm Clock Bird: Identified by their unique bird call (similar to water dropping) and odd hanging nests, the Orapendula helps the sleepy volunteers at the MLC rise every morning.

5 things I learned in the Peruvian Amazon

Me and my trusty machete

A machete is an all-purpose tool. It can be used for: clearing trails, digging holes in soil (tree planting), stripping cane (for biogarden fences), hacking unruly bamboo, cutting fruit and walking support.

Conservation involves more than just preserving wildlife.  In order for a project to be sustainable, local people need to support the cause and benefit from the projects.

Primary forest mosquitoes are very large and have white stripes on their legs (seriously)

Listening in the most powerful sense in the jungle. Because the rainforest is so dense with plant life, it is very difficult to spot many of the animal species because they have plenty of hiding opportunities and our walking/crunching often alerts them of our presence. From monkey calls to birdsong, the sounds of the Amazon are key in identifying and tracking wildlife.


Rainforest destruction is a complicated and controversial issue that I barely touched upon. There are lots of socio-economical matters intertwined. People living in and around the rainforest need to feed their families and sadly destroying the trees (for agricultural land, logging and oil exploration) provides communities with the money needed to survive.

Frog Symphony

Adventures like this one come few and far between, so I knew that I had to push my boundaries and overcome a few fears to return home a brave and proud woman. When MLC Scientific Coordinator, Andy Whitworth, asked for two volunteers to help him with a night-time amphibian and reptile survey, I saw my chance and grabbed it. Nocturnal animals freak me out, partially because they are often mean and crawly and largely because I have terrible night vision. Despite my deep-rooted fears of scary spiders and the dark, I strapped on my head torch and marched into the blackened forest with eager anticipation. This outing would involve walking the rainforest transects to monitor the biodiversity found at certain points. Amphibians are great bioindicators because of their permeable skin and dual habitats (aquatic and terrestrial). This also makes them incredibly vulnerable to environmental disturbances.

Spiders and froggies and snakes, oh my!

I am proud to say that I spotted the first snake, a black and white snail-eating snake wrapped around a tree branch. I also saw hundreds of communal spiders having a fun night out on a giant icky web (which I nearly walked into when I was looking the other way). Could you imagine if I did?! That would definitely scar me for life. Other interesting finds included wolf spiders, weevils, a pristimantis, toads, a green whip snake and a ground nesting bird. But what made this experience my favourite one of this trip so far is when Andy had us stray off path to a nearby swamp. Once reaching it, he somehow managed to convince me to turn off my torch and listen. Within a minute, the low croaking sounds of jungle swampland became a deafening symphony of frog-song lit by the stars. It was mind-blowingly beautiful and humbling to be in the midst of it all – a clumsy nervous volunteer standing completely disregarded in the centre of this alien habitat teeming with life. This was a moment I will cherish forever.

Conservation and Community Projects at CREES

Perhaps you are wondering what types of projects volunteers get involved with? Here are some of the key projects I worked on whilst at the MLC:

Agroforestry

Agroforestry: Planting new softwood and hardwood trees amongst specific agricultural crops to provide renewable commercial timber. Lots of strenuous but rewarding hard labour here – digging through challenging ground (filled with rocks, thorny plants and bullet ants) with a machete.

Vegetation Mapping: This involves measuring the rainforest’s tree trunks, leaf litter and types of biomass. Recording this data will help create an accurate map of the rainforest around the MLC.

GPS Mapping: GPS technology is used to map the area and record areas of special interest. Lots of intense hiking through stunningly beautiful primary forest involved.

Blue Headed Macaw Monitoring at the Clay Lick: This endangered species of bird visits the clay lick (amongst other species of birds) to consume soil that neutralize toxins in their diet. The MLC can therefore study the Blue Headed Macaw closely and assess its population here. Non-morning people be warned – this project starts 5am-ish each day.

Butterfly Traps: The Peruvian Amazon has over 2,500 different species of butterflies. The MLC sets up traps in the rainforest to identify and record the different species found, where they are then released daily.

Small rodent in Tomahawk Trap

Tomahawk Traps: These are set up to monitor the different types of small mammals in the surrounding rainforest and are checked and released daily.

Biogardens: This community project helps locals build and maintain a garden filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, increasing nutrition and creating an additional source of income.  Volunteers are involved with the planting and fence building.

The Unusual Suspects – Mugshots from the Amazon

It is called a “rainforest” after all - This morning I witnessed the mother of all rainstorms. My plan to trek to the indigenous community of Shintuya to interview leaders for my documentary was washed away with the extreme weather. Instead, I took dry shelter under the MLC’s communal area to study some of the species I might be encountering in the Amazon.

Here are a couple of interesting ones:

South American Tapir: Sir Mix-a-lot said it best -“Baby got back!”. This large brown mammal is easy to identify by its distinctive snout an elongated lip. It also has small oval ears with white tips, a round rump and stubby tail.

Razor-billed Curassow: A large bird that looks like it could be an exotic turkey (minus the silly wobbly wattle). Its physical features include a bright red ridge above a reddish bill, mostly black feathers and pale red legs. They also have a white terminal tail band and a chestnut patch under its abdomen.

Golden Tegu: Pretty and powerful, this lizard is glossy with black and gold stripes, strong limbs and a thick tail. It grows to be approximately 2 to 3 feet on average.

3 flights, 1 death-defying monster truck ride and a ‘peke peke’ later…

Journey:  London – Madrid – Lima – Cusco – Atalaya - MLC

Last leg of the long journey there

I have survived the long and slightly terrifying journey and have now finally arrived at the Manu Learning Centre (MLC) in the Peruvian Amazon. This is where I will be spending the next three weeks working as a rainforest conservation volunteer.

After arriving in Cusco and acclimatising to the altitude, two of the MLC science experts and I began our road and river journey into the Amazon.

Please refer to episode three of the BBC’s World’s Most Dangerous Roads (which funnily enough was aired and watched the weekend before my trip – big mistake). These are some of the roads I experienced on route to the MLC. Roads along the Andes with breath-taking views and lethal drops into a forest-filled abyss. Despite not wanting to take note of the four inches between the truck wheel and the edge of the road, I couldn’t resist peering out the windows for this 10-hour journey – from cool dry land in the higher altitudes to humid lush tropics as we descended into the basin, my eyes were never short of being mesmerized.

When we disembarked our truck in Atalaya, a motorised canoe (known as a “peke peke”) took us along the Rio Alto Madres de Dios to the site of the Manu Learning Centre. It was here that it all finally sunk in. I was in the Amazon. I was out of my comfort zone. I was in for the adventure of a lifetime.

Things not to do the night before you are due to travel to the Amazon jungle

1) Google insects found in the particular region you are traveling to (unless you have a passion for mutant sized arthropods)
2) Alter all your trekking trousers with a new £26 sewing machine from Argos
3) Pack one month of clothes and camera equipment into a 35L backpack (patience and repacking time required)

I have just done all three.

I already had a deep-rooted fear of large creepy-crawlies (i.e. spiders and centipedes) and reading about the blue-fanged bird-eating spider did not put my mind at ease.  My only solace is knowing that it is too large to crawl into my boots and that it has a dinner preference of insects and small birds.  I now have a very comprehensive insect repellent plan (DEET spray/lotion for skin, DEET and citronella wristbands and permethrin clothing spray), so along with avoiding bites I will probably numb a few hundred neurons.

Being somewhat vertically challenged, my quick-drying trekking trousers needed to be taken up.  I thought I would be smart (and thrifty) and rather than spend £30 on alterations I decided to purchase a cheap sewing machine to do it myself.  There are two lessons to be learned here.  You get what you pay for (and £26 was not enough) and sewing on time constraints if you haven't sewn in ten years is not an enjoyable craft project.  After two hours of trying to thread the bobbin, I decided to hand my trousers over to the professionals.

Packing is never enjoyable, but it is even less so when you have a lot of things to cram into a very small space.  I am very limited with luggage space because I need to pack all my clothes/toiletries and camera kits into my carry-on (a 35L backpack), as my checked luggage is a small suitcase filled to the brim with solar light donations (thanks Philips!), my daypack and a tripod.  After trying out a few packing techniques (rolling vs. folding) I somehow managed to squish everything in.

Now it's time for one of my last hot cuppas for a month!

I'm looking forward to sharing more tales from the Amazon.  As I'm sure you've figured out, internet access is going to be very limited, so I will have to resort to pen and paper blogging until I can find the technology to upload my entries.

Hasta luego!

Frankie. :)