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!