Kampala – Providing lighting solutions to off-the-grid schools can help improve their academic performance, Laurynas Vaiciulis, Chief Executive Officer Bright Life has said.
“Schools in urban areas have electricity which is not the case with village schools meaning once the sun sets, a student is unable to revise books and yet will sit the same national exams as those in towns which is unfair,” said Laurynas
He believes that equipping such schools with lighting systems could ensure a leveled ground to compete in national exams.
Laurynas made the remarks on Thursday while announcing the expansion of Bright Life’s Lamp Library Project to four off-grid schools in Kitgum district.
The project involves donating solar systems and portable lanterns to schools that are off the national grid, providing light for classrooms, libraries and dormitories to facilitate night learning, homework and exam preparation for students and staff.
Laurynas says the upcoming launch at Atimkikoma Primary School and Pajimo Agweng Primary School on April 6th, 2023 will mark the beginning of the project expansion in Kitgum.
He notes that two more schools will be selected at the beginning of May through a competition which will be crowned with a raffle draw on 3rd May 2023. “As per the Lamp Library project, each of these schools will receive a donation of 6 solar systems to provide light for classrooms, the libraries and dormitories and 50 to 100 portable lanters from BrightLife,” said Laurynas
The initiative has been in existence since 2019 and has grown to over 10 schools across Uganda, with the most recent being Pageya and Pece Primary Schools in Gulu and Akia & Malliam Primary Schools in Lira, which were launched last year.
“The project has achieved tremendous success over the years with students and teachers reporting improved classroom performance, and a sense of safety and security they didn’t previously have. Academically we have seen exam results improve such as at Pageya Primary School in Gulu which recently registered its first division one pupil for the first time in the school’s history,” noted Laurynas
He said these lanterns can be borrowed by children to take home to help them read and study in the evenings before they return them to give an opportunity to other students to do the same.
Laurynas called upon government and other players to join them to equip the over 10,000 schools that are off-the-grid in Uganda to uplift their education standards.
About BrightLife
BrightLife is uniquely linked to the FINCA International family of social enterprises with more than 30 years of experience that combines innovative financing, community networks, and the highest quality clean energy brands to improve the lives of people without access to the grid and unlock the productive potential of Ugandan families.
Their product line includes a growing range of solar home systems, entry-level solar lights, solar appliances such as TVs, fridges, clean cook stoves and smartphones.
