Illuminating
Communities
Initiative
Together we're helping improve safety, educational and sporting opportunities for young people
Helping bring the light of day – into the night
As an environmentally friendly business with a social conscience, Leadsun has partnered with the innovative not-for-profit organisation SolarBuddy providing expertise, know-how and technologies.
In 2011, inventor and social impact entrepreneur Simon Doble read an article in Time magazine that opened his eyes to the harsh reality of the billions of people who live without safe and reliable lighting. A humanitarian at heart Simon felt inspired to use his skills to create a solution that would improve their lives.
The result was a renewable energy-powered light that became a solution in refugee camps across the world. But through finding one solution, he soon realised the enormity of energy poverty, and set about raising global awareness and designing solar light solutions for the most at-risk communities. And in May 2016, SolarBuddy was launched.
In 2005, Leadsun had a vision to revolutionise the public lighting industry by bringing together four emerging technologies – solar PV, LED light, lithium batteries and adaptive lighting controls – into one compact and modular solar lighting system. And in 2019, Leadsun’s Managing Director – Matt Pollard tracked the Kokoda Trail in PNG where along the way was able to connect with remote villages and donate several of Leadsun’s ‘All-In-One’ solar lights and also get a much greater appreciation to the effects Energy Poverty has on the vast majority of PNG’s population.
Through this journey, Matt was later able to connect with SolarBuddy CEO – Simon Doble and discuss their passions in using ‘solar power’ technologies to illuminate remote communities where energy poverty exists.
Now together, Leadsun and SolarBuddy have formed a partnership called ‘Illuminating Communities Initiative’ where SolarBuddy are helping improve safety, educational and sporting opportunities of young people in communities living with energy poverty in Australia and across the world.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Leadsun. Our focus on innovative, renewable solutions fits perfectly with Leadsun and their values of creating positive impact for their customers and the planet. We are collaborating on a number of exciting projects to support communities across Australia, and we can’t wait to share more about those projects soon”. Billie Murphy, General Manager SolarBuddy.
SolarBuddy passionately align their work to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They are an Australian charity uniting a global community committed to creating a more sustainable future for all people and our beautiful life-supporting planet and we’ve been doing it with the gift of light.
Energy poverty is defined as having limited or no access to grid electricity. Across our planet, 789 Million people live in extreme energy poverty – that is 1 in 10 people.
- Young people in these communities are disadvantaged because their safety and ability to study is affected because of lack of light.
- Using kerosene and other light sources is hazardous and bad for health.
- SolarBuddy provide small individual solar-buddy lights, to be charged during the day, and used at night for studying and personal safety.
SolarBuddy Goals – are dedicated to illuminating the future of all our young people.
- To gift 6 million solar lights to young people living in extreme energy poverty by 2030.
- To educate 6 million people globally about extreme energy poverty
“There are great synergies between Leadsun and SolarBuddy, who provide mini solar-powered lights to young people in remote communities” says Matt Pollard “Our technology is a great enabler in helping close the gap between first-world modern cities and poorer disadvantaged communities. Grid electricity power is no longer needed!”
Please let us know if you would like to be involved in Leadsun’s SolarBuddy initiative
For more information on SolarBuddy
This is only the beginning more initiatives and ways to get involved to be announced shortly …
