Solar Lanterns for Tana Students

In July 2017, we visited Bubesa and Mwina primary schools so as to issue solar lanterns to the beneficiaries. We issued to 29  Class 8 Students after conducting a survey and selected students with based on performance and background.

The students in this locality have high expectations of their final examination this year and after high school. Most of them aim to get at least 300 marks to enable them join the best high school on national level (That’s the average score that will enable students get a good performing school in the country). Most of them would like to come back and help their community in different ways. Martha a student from Mwina primary school aged 15 years old was quoted ,"I would like to score 350 marks in the final exam so that I go to the secondary school then after get a good college to study Medicine to become a skillful Doctor in my community."

The students were glad to be provided with the solar lanterns as it would not only help them to study at night but also their friends and siblings. As if a neighbor had a solar lantern it will encourage group discussions at night as well. This will enable them add more marks for better performance. Secondly, it will be a source of income for their parents as they will be generating some money from charging their mobile phone as the solar system have a charge port.

The parents were also grateful for the lanterns and they expect that their children would perform better. Vavute a mother to Ali  a student from Bubesa primary was quoted, ''I am expecting that my son would perform better now that he can be able to have better lights to study at home and I believe even the other school children from our village can benefit from it. It will be a good form of security at night as the solar can go upto 8 hours with light and it is very bright. I also don’t have to worry on buying kerosene for getting light at night, so that budget will be used for other purposes.”

Apart from distributing them the foundation usually goes with staff and youth volunteers so as to give talks to the students as we believe mentorship is important to them. Although most of the students come from poor background they are very bright and with the right support and guidance they can be of great help to their parents in the long run.