Illuminating remote Communities

Remote community work

Children in remote and/or low socio-economic areas have low access to STEM educational activities, and are three years behind their peers due to lack of resources, despite the prediction that future workers will spend more than twice as much time on job tasks requiring science, maths and critical thinking than today. This initiative is currently focused on supporting Australian communities, with the opportunity to expand this in the future. 

Access to Electricity in Australia

Approximately 2% of Australia’s population (500,000 people) live in off grid locations, where electricity supply is characterised by low levels of reliability at a higher cost. Many remote regions rely on diesel and LPG generators. Fuel for these generators is typically delivered by trucks which can be significantly delayed by washed out or flooded roads, compromising energy security. 

These communities often pay significantly higher prices for electricity due to the added transportation costs and also endure fluctuating fuel prices.

SolarBuddy’s Illuminating Communities Initiative is designed to bring clean, safe, reliable lighting, and immersive STEM education opportunities to these communities.

Enquire about our Illuminating remote Communities program

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Ways to get involved

Thursday Island Basketball Court

Support regional schools

Students in remote and/or low socio-economic areas have low access to STEM educational Activities. Providing greater access to STEM educational opportunities for all children is future proofing. Through the Illuminating communities school program, you can enable students to learn about renewable technologies and social/global citizenship. Students assemble two SolarBuddy lights; one to keep for themselves, and one to donate to a child living in energy poverty over-seas.

What’s included:

  • Each child receives 2 lights to build
  • Each child writes a letter to their ‘buddy’ receiving their 2nd light
  • Educational material (including Indigenous Knowledge and Science)

 

The program encompasses the principles of positive psychology, promoting feeling and doing good, and enhancing mindfulness and well-being; essential traits for building a more sustainable and just future for all.

Thank you so much. It truly comes at a critical point in our school journey and the engaging, hands, visual stimulation demonstrated how our students can work together when they’re given that type of opportunity
MATILDA LOBANHEAD OF STUDENT SERVICES, TAGAI STATE COLLEGE SECONDARY CAMPUS, THURSDAY ISLAND, TORRES STRAIT ISLANDS

Illuminate community spaces

In response to the energy injustices that persist across Australia, we introduced another project focused on illuminating community spaces in remote communities.

By providing solar lighting for community spaces, you can create safe, sustainable spaces for communities to come together for arts, sporting and cultural events. This project is particularly concerned with enhancing the community components of connectedness, resilience and safety, as these have been identified as critical and core to overall individual and community well-being.

SolarBuddy have partnered with solar lighting installation specialists, Leadsun, to carry out the installation of all community lighting through this project, at no cost to the community. Leadsun developed the first all-in-one LED solar street lights, and have been creating a positive impact on the environments they illuminate since 2008. The installation of these lights require no excavation or spoils, they are suitable for all wind categories and soil types, and for hard to access, sloping or remote sites.

SolarBuddy are currently seeking to forge relationships within communities, and have a strong focus on ensuring the delivery of this project is community lead and serves unique community needs.

If you would like to be involved in Illuminating and Australian community space, enquire above.

"It (solar flood lighting) would mean everything for our kids. It would mean creating the opportunity for them to participate in after-school activities, opportunities to participate in activities outside of school on the weekends, cultural activities, performing arts and other events. Yes, it would mean a lot."

SUBERIA BOWIE
PRINCIPAL, TAGAI STATE SECONDARY COLLEGE, THURSDAY ISLAND, TORRES.

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