Peter Caton/Lendwithcare/Courtesy Solar Aid
For years, when the sun went down around 6 p.m. in Derrick’s* hometown of Rufunsa, Zambia, the whole community plunged into darkness. Without access to electricity, Derrick and his neighbors in their rural village in southern Africa couldn’t simply flip a switch to turn on lights in their homes. There were no streetlamps to illuminate nearby roads, nor was there the glow of cell phones to help brighten a room. The complete darkness made it difficult for young people like Derrick to read, study, or do their homework at night.
But in 2019, a creative solution changed Derrick’s life. That year, a Light Library was put in place at Derrick’s school. The program works just like a traditional library, but instead of checking out books, students can borrow small solar lamps to take home with them. Now Derrick is able to sit under the light of the solar lamp for an hour and a half every night to complete his schoolwork.
The Light Library was set up by an international charity called SolarAid, and Derrick’s teacher, Mutinta Michelo, helps run it. Soon after the program was launched, Michelo began to notice a difference in Derrick. She says he used to struggle in class and had difficulty reading and writing. But since Derrick has been able to use a solar lamp, his grades have improved.
“He has turned out to be the best reader in the school,” Michelo says.