Light for education: Solar Village Rema

As the sun goes down in Ethiopia about 6 p.m., lighting is already needed in the early evening. In particular, the children need sufficient light to do their homework. But also for the improvement of living and working conditions of the adults, it is necessary to work in the evening under a good light.

Very few farmer huts (tukuls) are located in the area supplied by the public power network. In general, lighting comes from kerosene lamps. Around 70 liters of kerosene are burned per lamp and per year, whereby about 160 kg of CO2 are produced. The light of the kerosene lamp is though very weak, leading to eye damage, and associated to health damaging carbon and odor emissions.

The Stiftung Solarenergie - Solar Energy Foundation is working on its program "Light for education" since 2006 togeher with the villagers of Rema and Rema-Dire and equipped the huts, schools, churches and health centers with light. Rema became the first and only village in Ethiopia, where each hut is supplied with solar light.

Light represents a fundamental improvement in the daily lives of people. In addition, it is also a sign of hope that even in these rural areas, a development to improved living conditions is possible and that an exodus in the larger towns is not necessary.

Light as a symbol of awakening and future - an experience just as fundamental as impressive!