SOLAR LIGHTING
Many communities throughout Africa and Latin America use candles or kerosene (in lanterns) as a means to light their homes at night, either because of the remoteness of where they live or because of difficulty getting access to supply of modern energy. However, candles or kerosene are often more expensive than modern forms of energy and constitute a larger percentage of household income compared to countries in North America. In addition, candles and kerosene provide a lesser quality of light, emit smoke, which because they are used in enclosed spaces result in respiratory problems, and they are also a fire risk, should they get knocked over or come in contact with flammable materials.
For project examples of solar lighting systems and solar lighting lanterns in the field, review the following project links.
Solar Lighting Projects
Costa Rica, November 2009
Countryside Orphanage, February, May and October 2010
Kibaha, Tanzania, Phase 1
Peru, 2010 & 2011
Costa Rica, June 2011
Kibaha, Tanzania, Phase 2