Working in teams of 2-3, students assemble a StudentBuddy which will be donated to communities in developing countries. This teacher-led program is aligned to the Sustainability cross-curriculum priority and mapped to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
The StudentBuddy program combines practical team building skills and real-world impact. It provides an exciting and challenging session for your students and promotes general capabilities, including critical and creative thinking, intercultural understanding and ethical understanding.
StudentBuddy is a more complex solar system, designed to provide more than just light. Providing children living in energy poverty with light that can be ceiling hung, as a torch and has USB charging capabilities.
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+ Optional upgrade to a STEM incursion experience, to add even more impact to your program. Ask us about the benefits of having a SolarBuddy team member facilitate your session for you.
StudentBuddy solar devices are designed to provide impact for real people living in energy poverty. In areas of extreme energy poverty, communities are currently using either generators (that use fossil fuels) at their schools or health clinic or walking a long distance to a supermarket and paying to charge. It’s often the woman and girls who are expected to spend time away from family, friends and importantly education and to risk their safety to charge the families devices.
The StudentBuddy solar devices come with 3 light settings, a chargeable solar panel, USB device charging for 2 devices and was made with sustainability in mind. All parts are replaceable, and aluminium components are 100% recyclable.
These devices will:
Health: Replace the use of fuel-based lighting and charging with a clean solar solution, and improve safety and wellbeing for children (particularly girls)
Education: Increase time in school and studying after dark instead of travelling long distances for lighting and charging.
Economic: Reduce the money spent on expensive fuel-based lighting and charging and redirect it to basic needs like food, clothing, health and education.
Environment: Contribute to the reduction of the carbon footprint of energy poverty which accounts for almost 10% of annual global emissions (Our World in Data)
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You will receive an email confirming that they have been dispatched once they are on their way to you. Your lights will be with you in time for the date that you requested on your order form.
Please note that orders and activity dates are not confirmed without full payment or a PO number.
You will have 4 weeks to complete the StudentBuddy assembly from the date it arrives at your chosen location.
Absolutely! There is an additional cost for this, and it depends on whether it is virtual or in person.
Simply email enquiries@solarbuddy.org to find out how we can add even more impact to your session.
We do not offer refunds for change of mind or circumstance however at the discretion of SolarBuddy you may be able to adjust or change the activity date of your order if the kits have not been dispatched.
E.g. if you place an order for 20 StudentBuddy kits and wish to split this into two activities you can if we have not dispatched them. Please note we can only adjust your order in increments of 10 and your new date is subject to availability of stock.
When you have assembled your lights simply request a collection here and we will arrange a courier to collect them from your location.
You must request your collection of StudentBuddy lights 4 weeks from their arrival date. You cannot keep any completed or incomplete StudentBuddy kits for personal use or to assemble them at a later date passed your collection date.
Fees apply for late returns of the StudentBuddy kits (please refer to your order form for further information)
Do not worry, there is a handy cheat sheet inside the box on how to repack your kits ready for collection. You can also access this here.
Each black box consists of:
10 trays of StudentBuddy kits (1 StudentBuddy kit per tray)
1 tool case (with zipper) housing 10 tool sets (each tool set has three Allen keys) and spare screws.
1 laminated check list attached with white board marker to assist you with the packing at the end of the session.
It is very important that they are not disposed or destroyed because they will be re-used for packing at the end of the build session. Please read through the packing cheat sheet to find their allocated space! Thank you for helping us take care of our planet.
All StudentBuddy kits ordered must be returned to SolarBuddy on collection- including any unused or incomplete kits. Please refer to the instructions inside the box as to how to re pack your kits ready for collection.
By assembling your light, you are helping a child living in energy poverty. The more lights we can send to children, the greater impact we have.
We have chosen the countries we work in based on need and opportunity. We assess the communities living in energy poverty in each country we work in, and actively seek out partnerships with local agencies that specialise in educational development who can assist with distribution to schools and communities.
