New lanterns have finally arrived in Liberia. There was a slight delay due to new and more stringent import regulations that went into effect in Liberia in December by the Liberia Revenue Authority. Many importers had their goods held up at the Freeport of Monrovia for tighter inspections and higher duty fees which led to protests by businesses.
VIP's lanterns are now in the possession of the country director who is arranging for distribution to 7 more towns and villages.
In December, a VIP volunteer from Columbus, OH conducted a field survey for us while visiting Liberia. Joseph Sawo met with VIP's Country Director, Ms. Miatta Johnson, at VIP's office and they arranged a visit to one of the villages that has received lanterns. In Korma, Joseph met with residents and had them to describe their experiences using the zero-cost lanterns they received. One male speaker spoke about the financial relief of no longer going to the market to purchase flashlight batteries or candles. A young lady who spoke on behalf of the youth and women expressed thanks for the lanterns because they can conduct their small-scale market business into the night with adequate lighting at no cost.
With more families scheduled to receive lanterns, your donations are helping to light the night and illuminate Liberia, one village at a time. On behalf of the thousands of Liberians who are now enjoying clean renewable energy, we say thanks for your generosity.
Please share our project with friends and loved ones. We'd like to hear from you about what it means to be a champion of VIP solar lanterns project in rural Liberia.
By New Year 2017, more than 500 new families in rural Liberia should have the gift of light to help light the night. Bright LED solar lanterns that are capable of charging mobile phones will be distributed in late December to families in need of zero-cost clean and renewable energy that will reduce their cost of living by eliminating expensive kerosene and battery operated lights.
The lanterns were shipped from the U.S. in late November and will arrive in Liberia in mid to late December for distribution.
Since our last report, we have been busy upgrading our Liberian office with a new steel door, lock and paint. Also, we are working to secure duty-free privileges from the Liberia Revenue Authority for the products we are currently shipping to Liberia, which include the solar lanterns and lots of lightly used clothes for adults and children in villages where lanterns are being distributed. During the feedback loop survey we conducted in Liberia, we asked people we are seeking to help lift out of poverty what were some things they wanted to see change for the better in their communities. Additional clothes and shoes as well as improved drinking water ranked high among their options. Hence, we have sought to respond by partnering with deWellop, an international NGO to provide a town with two wells and collecting lightly used clothes and shoes in the U.S. for village families.
Links:
With the success of our last campaign, 504 solar lanterns are purchased and just waiting to be shipped and distributed in Liberia!
Did you hear in the news about kids not studying or doing their homework? Or the town where neighbors don't talk to each other at night?
No you didn't hear it in the news, it wasn't the biggest trending sensation. But it is a reality and one that you know too well happening every day in Liberian villages due to no safe lighting at night.
Donate £75 and get your donation matched by 50%. This will help communities in LIBERIA access energy in a sustainable way! Click here.
For the month of September on GlobalGiving UK, our project has been selected for an EXCLUSIVE matching opportunity!
This is a time-sensitive opportunity. £18,000 (~$23,900 USD) is available for a 50% match on GlobalGiving.co.uk. HURRY, donations must be made in September to claim this BONUS money for VIP’s Solar Energy work in Liberian villages across the country!!!
Imagine having no electricity. Donate £50 and help us get donations matched, providing sustainable energy solutions in LIBERIA.
DONATE NOW to cover shipping and distribution cost for 504 lanterns: Click here.
When is the last time your money and commitment meant so much? You will be delivering not only light but the smiles, safety and prosperity that everyone deserves.
Please beware that only donations through GlobalGiving.co.uk link will be eligible for the match.
Links:
Demand in nearby villages to where lanterns have been distributed is high. Requests for lanterns are pouring in regularly. Following our successful GlobalGiving UK matching fundraiser in March, 336 new village homes in ten towns will receive lanterns during our next distribution in October. With these new lanterns, approximately 2,833 men, women and children will have safe, clean, renewable lights.
With your support, our solar lanterns project is bringing families in Liberia years of zero-cost lighting.
I hope that you find this partnership valuable and worthwhile. Please consider telling your friends and family about our project - share the link on your blogs or social networks, use the tell-a-friend feature on the GlobalGiving project page to email your network, or just bring us up in conversation.
Thank you again for all your support to this cause.
Links:
For 193 rural families in Liberia, 2016 ushered in a new way of life with solar lights, eliminating the darkness, illuminating lives, and keeping communities vibrant, active, and safe into the night.
Five rural villages in western Liberia have received bright solar lanterns capable of charging mobile phones purchased from funds donated by you. As a result, social and business activities no longer have to be completed by dusk, because darkness stopped people from gathering or working at night. Now these communities can maintain strong business and social ties into the night because you are helping to light the night.
New funds raised in March through GlobalGiving UK's matching funds is allowing VIP to purchase additional lanterns for 150 families.
VIP continues with its feedback loop program with recipients to ensure long-term benefits from the lanterns people are using to replace dirty and expensive kerosene lanterns. Technical service is provided to each village for repair of lanterns that fail to function.
I hope that you find this partnership valuable and worthwhile. Please consider telling your friends and family about our project - share the link on your blogs or social networks, use the tell-a-friend feature on the GlobalGiving project page to email your network, or just bring us up in conversation. You know your friends and family best, so use your own words - tell them why you chose our project and what it means to you.
Thank you again for all you have done to help this cause.
Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you will get an e-mail when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports via e-mail without donating.
We'll only email you new reports and updates about this project.
