LIBERIA – Solar Lanterns Project

The Sean Devereux Children’s Fund was set up in memory of Sean, who was killed in Soma-lia in January 1993. The charity centres its work around schools in Brewerville, near Monro-via, in Liberia, as Sean was a young teacher in Liberia with the Salesians. In that time, he saw the real need to help young people through education and sport and he fell in love with the country and people. As part of their work in supporting the schools , the team have be-gun a three-part project to provide solar lighting for the community.

In time, phases two and three of the solar lighting project will see the provision of solar panels as required for the school building and the local community. But initially, phase one will see the provision of portable solar lanterns to the homes of some 200 families in the local community, and it is this phase which will be funded by our Foundation.

The solar lanterns that we will fund will increase the educational opportunities for the chil-dren, allowing pupils to study during the evening hours of darkness as well as increasing the safety of young girls - so we will be providing longer learning hours in a safer environment.

The solar lanterns are re-chargeable and so can be recycled to other pupils, so that over three to five years some 750 children can benefit from the passing around of the lanterns. As an additional benefit, pupils will feel a sense of ownership and a responsibility for them, so that they can be passed on in good condition.

The provision of the solar lanterns will, in increasing the learning opportunities in the Brewerville/Monrovia communities, help to change the lives of the villagers.