Wisekids Trust with the support of the Wakawaka Foundation in the Netherlands donated over 1 200 solar lights to Grade 6 children in various schools in Zimbabwe, mostly rural schools. The partnership promotes education of learners after sunset using clean renewable solar energy, without the need to resort to dirty, dangerous, polluting, and expensive kerosene lamps, torches, and bad light candles.
There are over 1.2 billion people in the world that live off-grid, without access to a conventional electricity grid. The people depend on dirty kerosene lamps, which lead to indoor air pollution and the negative health effects on lungs and eyes. In line with the UN sustainable development goal #7, this partnership believes that every learner should have access to clean and affordable energy. As the sun is the world’s biggest energy source, we believe in solar as a solution for people living off the grid.
This partnership focuses on providing safe, sustainable, and self-sufficient energy and light solutions to learners living at the base of the pyramid. The support ensures that solar solutions become available to those who suffer from extreme poverty, live in off-grid areas, or experience load shedding and aims to improve the future perspective of learners in Zimbabwe. Access to light is a pre-requisite for development. Access to solar lights means access to education, self-belief to a better future for our leaners.
According to the ZIMSEC, the Grade 7 pass rate for 2022 was at 40%, which was marginally lower than the 2021 pass rate of 41.13%. ZIMSEC mentions that while the reasons for the slight decline are yet to be determined, it could be attributed to the need for schools and students to adjust to the new continuous assessment program.
It is against this backdrop that Wisekids Trust with the support of the WakaWaka Foundation donated over 1 200 solar lights to Grade 6 learners. The children expressed joy and promised to use the lights to study hard and to complete their homework. The Trust is excited to play a part in ensuring that our next year Grade 7 learners excel in their studies. The special thing about the solar lights is that it is much more than just sharing the sun and improving school performance, it brings an awareness, an “aha” moment, a reminder that life is full of possibilities.