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Haiti: Solar Lamps Bring Added Stability to Displaced For more information, contact: John Torres, Senior Public Relations Manager Donate to Haiti
Earthquake Response Fund
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—There is no time like the night to be reminded that being an earthquake survivor in a camp for displaced Haitians is difficult. “When you have darkness, it’s sad,” says Silvina Lizaire, 65, a woman who is staying in a makeshift shelter rigged with bed linens and tree branches in a camp in Carrefour, a residential area located in southwest Port-au-Prince. Since Thursday, darkness has become less oppressive for thousands of families who began receiving some 3,000 solar powered lamp kits. This latest assistance, donated by U.S.-based Geneva Global through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), has also allowed displaced Haitians to carry out basic activities in a more comfortable and safe manner. “The lamps help us move about more freely and safely at night, even to go to the toilet,” says Stephanie, 24, a mother of two children aged three and five. Her shelter is located beside some large trees, and to get to the latrines she must pass by the makeshift homes of several neighbors. In the dark, the obstacles are not readily apparent. The tarps and sheeting covering much of her shelter cause the darkness to be more intense. Yolette Pierre Marie, 46, who moved to the camp the day of the quake after her house collapsed killing a relative, sees the convenience of having a source of light readily available each night. “We lit candles before,” says Yolette. “It’s so much better now.” Each evening, after the LED lamp has recharged, she hangs it with the attached swiveling hanger from one of the corners in her shelter. When she sets it to the highest intensity, the lamp casts a white light that allows Yolette and her family to do other activities until they go to sleep around 9 o’clock in the evening. But the benefits of using these sun-powered devices go beyond the convenience of its owners to see at night. “Look, our house is made of tarps and sheets and blankets,” says Stephanie. “Using a candle is dangerous.” Because the homes are built in close proximity to each other, a candle or kerosene lamp could tip over and cause a fire to quickly spread through the camp. Less critical, but nevertheless important, is the cost of purchasing batteries, as keeping expenses low remains a constant concern for displaced Haitians. “We used flashlights, but batteries are expensive,” she says. “The sun is free.” The lights are also able to illuminate areas inside and in the immediate perimeter of shelters that could have posed a concern for residents before. This provides families a better way to monitor their space and property. “Sometimes our clothes that we had laid outdoors to dry went missing at night,” says Stephanie. Personal safety can be compromised as well without proper lighting, due to the fact that large areas of the camp, and Port-au-Prince itself, remain without electricity. “Having a light source at night also provides increased security, especially for vulnerable women and girls in makeshift camps,” says Doug Balfour, CEO of Geneva Global. The solar lamps are robust; they will resist multiple falls and are built to remain in working condition long after they have been distributed. According to ToughStuff™, the manufacturer of the device, the product has an expected life of 10 years. Each lamp and solar panel is water-resistant and unaffected by rain, a feature that will prove especially important in the upcoming rainy season. The amorphous, flexible solar panels are almost impossible to break, and they are resilient up to 176 F (80 C). More importantly, the lamps provide between six to 30 hours of lighting after a full day of charging in sunlight. The kits, which have a $20 value, also include radio and cell phone connectors and rechargeable battery packs. “ADRA’s parnership in the distribution of these solar kits was crucial to Geneva Global,” adds Balfour. “With ADRA’s assistance, thousands of Haitian families are now benefitting from ToughStuff™ solar kits.” If you would like to support ADRA’s relief efforts, give to the Haiti Earthquake Response Fund at www.adra.org/haiti, or by phone at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372). To donate through a mobile phone, text the word "ADRA" to 85944, reply "YES" and donate a one-time $10 gift to ADRA's Haiti response. Follow ADRA on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest information as it happens. ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity. For more information about ADRA, visit www.adra.org. Author: Hearly Mayr with reporting by Michelle Oetman
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