SolarBuddy project | Lighting up learning

You may remember reading about the start of Wellington’s involvement in the SolarBuddy project in June when we were preparing to send 350 solar-powered lights to the floating village of Prek Toal in Cambodia. I’m heartened and extremely proud to say that thanks to the amazing efforts of our pupils, the College’s involvement with SolarBuddy is already changing lives for the better.   SolarBuddy revisited For anyone reading this who isn’t already familiar with the SolarBuddy organisation, let me quickly bring you up to speed. SolarBuddy is an Australia-based charity group who are dedicated to providing some of the most impoverished and disaster-struck communities of the world with a clean, safe and renewable source of light. To achieve this, they designed a very simple portable light that also houses a 0.6W solar panel. It is waterproofed, shock proofed, durable against accidental damage and extremely easy to use and assembled using only a screwdriver. It provides 10-16 hours of light and can be fully recharged in just 8 hours of exposure to sunlight. This can (and does) make a significant difference to people who have zero access to electricity, by providing them with a safe and reliable source of light for their work, play and studies.   First successful delivery After raising the money to pay for 350 SolarBuddy lights, pupils in years 3-5 actually got to build the lights themselves (read more about that here) before they were shipped to Prek Toal village, arriving at the beginning of November. As our contact in the village kindly informed me via the SolarBuddy organisation, the distribution of the lights was a very happy occasion for everyone who lives there: “Everyone in my community, the commune chiefs, village chiefs, teachers, parents and students, are all very happy to have the solar lights, to use them to do homework and read books. They can now learn and read books longer than before. Another benefit that the Solarbuddies offer is to help families to save some money from paying for electricity at night. I just wanted to let you know that all your help with sending the Solarbuddies to our community is very much appreciated.  Your support and effort for our new venture certainly contributed to our community, especially to improve our students’ educational opportunities, and we would like to thank you for that.”   Taking the next step As fantastic as this initial delivery has been, what’s really exciting is how Wellington’s involvement with the project can now expand. Firstly, I visited Prek Toal in early January for three days to see the difference that these lights are making in the lives of the people who live there. Ideally, this will lead to future visits involving Wellington pupils, so they too can witness the impact of their efforts first-hand. The SolarBuddy project will also be expanding at Wellington this term. Initially, pupils in Upper Prep (years 6-8) will be getting involved. Upper Prep pupils will begin their fundraising efforts and week-long project in June 2019 as each SolarBuddy costs around 150RMB to sponsor – this includes the costs of packaging and delivery to the recipient community. However, we will be getting the ball rolling much earlier than that, as this term the year 6 pupils (who experienced the project in year 5) will make a presentation to their Upper Prep peers on the function and importance of the lights, as well as the project’s overall impact so far. We want the pupils to be the ones to drive this project onwards, rather than simply having it imposed on them. By thinking deeply about the lights’ purpose and future impact, by independently developing fundraising ideas and carrying them out, each pupil will be more invested in the project and its eventual outcome. More than a charitable activity, SolarBuddy is an ongoing opportunity to help Wellington pupils develop their character alongside their knowledge and awareness of the world. With every pupil in our care, we want them to become global citizens who embrace empathy, inclusivity, an awareness of privilege and the disparity of wealth in the world, and, above all, demonstrate a willingness to make a positive impact on the world we all share. It’s been wonderful to see how quickly Wellington’s pupils have got on board with SolarBuddy, I cannot wait to see what we can achieve together this term!