Solar powered lights built by the 2019 CIMIC Group graduates are now in the hands of children at six schools in Port Moresby, Hula and Gabagaba, Papua New Guinea.
Graduates built the 240 lights during a social innovation workshop led by CIMIC Group’s engineering and technical services business EIC Activities, in partnership with registered charity SolarBuddy, at the CIMIC Group graduate induction earlier this year.
The students will use the lights to complete their homework and travel more safely to and from school. Each light carried a personal message from a graduate encouraging a student in their studies.
SolarBuddy distributed the lights, bringing their 2019 distribution total to 14,400 lights supplied to schools across Papua New Guinea.
Collaborative approach to innovation
EIC Activities’ hands-on social innovation workshop enabled graduates to learn how actioning a small innovative idea can solve a global issue. The EIC Activities team also took graduates through a rapid innovation process to generate ideas, assess their value and pitch prototypes to stakeholders.
SolarBuddy supported the process by asking graduates to provide solutions to social challenges experienced by people in Papua New Guinea, such as aiding in transitioning families to use SolarBuddy lights instead of traditional kerosene lamps.
About SolarBuddy
SolarBuddy aims to improve education outcomes for children living in energy poverty around the world by gifting solar powered lights to help them study after dark.
With the help of CIMIC Group and other corporate partners, SolarBuddy has illuminated over 500,000 lives worldwide and donated over 100,000 SolarBuddy lights to children living in energy poverty.
These lights have assisted students to read and study 78% longer and helped families to save 80% of their previous expense on kerosene.