Year Seven Students Use Power In Their Hands to Light Up Lives

According to The World Bank, nearly 10 percent of the world’s population lives in energy poverty, meaning they have access to little to no energy. Without access to safe and reliable energy, children and their families are plunged into darkness every night. As a result, children cannot study after dusk and must often travel long distances to source lighting resources rather than pursuing their education. The use of fuel-based lighting leads to deadly emissions, damaging their health and wellbeing and harming the environment.

For the third year now, our Year 7 Girton students have participated in the SolarBuddy program; an Australian charity that believes that all children should have access to clean, reliable, and safe energy to allow them to thrive. 

SolarBuddy solar lights are purchased by Year 7 families and assembled by Girton students for donation to families living in energy poverty. Our students write a letter to the recipient of their light, and in return, they receive a letter and photo of their buddy receiving the light they have assembled. 

Through the SolarBuddy program, our Year 7 students learn about the 1.3 billion people around the world who lack access to electricity, mostly in Africa and South Asia.

They learn how people who depend on primitive forms of energy like charcoal and firewood suffer devastating impacts to their health and wellbeing, economic stability and educational outcomes.

In the lead-up to Christmas, as we start drafting our Christmas gift lists, the SolarBuddy program is a timely reminder to be grateful for the privileges we sometimes take for granted. It was wonderful to see our students embracing the opportunity to support children less fortunate than themselves.

Thank you to the families who supported the SolarBuddy program this year.