Solar Lanterns for 3000 Village Homes in Liberia

Your generous donations to Village Improvement Project's Solar Lantern Project not only provide money for us to purchase and distribute lanterns but also funds our ability to apply for corporate grants. This year VIP was given a grant from Panasonic. Here is the report on the impact those lanterns made:

The donated Panasonic solar lanterns to Village Improvement Project were distributed to rural school teachers, healthcare workers, and orphan care administrators and staff. A total of 360 individuals received lanterns. Staff from 5 orphanages received 46 lanterns while staff from 5 clinics received 45 lanterns. 

A total of 19 schools with 269 teachers received lanterns. Jenneh P from the Tenegar Community Clinic reported that because the lanterns are "strong and shine very well," she and her co-workers are now able to perform clinic duties for patients into the night. Jenneh reported that they no longer have to shut down the clinic at dusk time and ask the remaining patients of the day to come back the next day for treatment. 

According to Jenneh, the clinic has been able to stay open longer and into the night because of access to the Panasonic lanterns. In addition, the clinic workers have used the lanterns to travel at night to various villages to conduct maternal health education. She said that prior to having the solar lanterns, they used candles and battery-operated flashlights but now with the lanterns, they can provide bright lights for everyone to see and participate in the training they provide. The biggest impact with use of the lantern at the Tenegar Community Clinic has been with the delivery of newborns. According to Jenneh, an average of 12 babies per month have been delivered at the clinic with the assistance of the solar lanterns and many of these babies have been delivered at night. 

The lanterns have also saved each clinic worker an average of US $0.15 per day for charging their cell phones. There is no defect to any lantern to date since they went into use in February 2018 at the Tenegar Clinic. Jenneh and her co-workers express satisfaction with the lanterns because they are superior to any other form of lighting they have used in the past. They remain grateful for the excellent lights that are supporting them in more effective delivery of health care services to their patients.

You made that happen. Thank you!