Cambodia: Supporting children, the country's future

This was our fourth donation in Cambodia. In March 2016, we donated a total of 2,400 solar lanterns to 11 recipient organizations. People's HOPE Japan, a new recipient organization, is an international NGO providing support mainly in the area of education on health and medical care, to empower people in Asia's developing countries. In addition to being used at health centers operating around the clock, the solar lanterns will be utilized when staff visit villager's homes at night.

[11 Recipient Organizations for Fiscal 2015]
・ Association of School Aid in Cambodia
・ Cambodia Education Assistance Fund
・ Cambodia Learning Aid for Children
・ Ieng Foundation
・ International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Cambodia Country Office
・ Life With Dignity
・ My Happy Village Cambodia
・ PH-Japan (People's Hope Japan)
・ Shanti Volunteer Association
・ World Assistance for Cambodia and Japan Relief for Cambodia
・ World Vision International - Cambodia

Im Ya of Cambodia Education Assistance Fund raves about the solar lanterns being so easy to use and wants every Cambodian to have one.

The solar lanterns were distributed to 18 students with the top marks, so teachers report that the children's motivation to study has gotten a boost.

Vietnam: Higher attendance at evening meetings

This year again, Panasonic donated 1,002 solar lanterns to World Vision Vietnam. These lanterns will be distributed to people we were not able to reach previously.

Many of the villages where World Vision Vietnam works have no electricity. The solar lanterns are used for a multitude of purposes, including examinations at hospitals, classes at school, studying, work, and house chores. To date, 5,120 people have benefitted directly from our solar lanterns.

Solar lanterns are used during evening meetings at community centers.

Children in the reading club are overjoyed that reading is much easier thanks to solar lanterns.

Operations Director Than Thi Ha spoke of the lanterns' benefits, "Thanks to solar lanterns, the villagers can get through daily life with greater ease."

India: Solar lanterns lighting up hearts

In India, solar lanterns are donated mostly to organizations providing educational and medical support to the poorest sector of society. This year, we donated 5,940 solar lanterns to six organizations.

[6 Recipient Organizations for Fiscal 2015]
・ Bindaas Unlimited Trust
・ Japan Evangelical Lutheran Association
・ Plan Japan
・ Society for All Round Development (SARD)
・ World Health Partners
・ World Vision India

World Vision India proposes and implements community development projects and poverty solutions. Through this organization, the solar lanterns are distributed to people in Dhemaji district, one of the poorest areas of the Assam region. The lanterns donated last year have been put to use in nine villages with no access to electricity. One of the villagers, Gitanjali Pait said, "We always struggled to find money to buy fuel for kerosene lamps, but now with solar lanterns, the children can study hard every night. The lanterns have been a huge help."

Villages with many poor families typically depend on kerosene lamps for light, but here the solar lanterns are distributed especially to poor households with school-aged children.

A solar lantern provides light for this boy immersed in his studies.

Delivering light to the poorest who live without electricity

Cambodia, Vietnam, and India have all witnessed major economic development in recent years. However, people in off grid villages still live in poverty and put up with many inconveniences, while the gap continues to expand between them and the rich who live in cities. We will continue cooperating with local organizations to provide our support and deliver the light of solar lanterns, to help solve the issues and challenges that these people face.