Bringing Light to the Hills of Gicumbi
The drive to the Miyove Sector in the mountainous northern Rwanda district of Gicumbi, was long and bumpy. It was a cool morning, after a night of light rain. The remote field where we were scheduled to help distribute solar lights to 150 people was mostly empty. Working side-by-side with the team from our Rwandan NGO partner, Think About Education Rwanda (NPO-TER) to unload the boxes of solar lights and set up tables and chairs, we asked the obvious question, “where are all the people?” It turns out that this part of Rwanda has been in a drought, and the sprinkles of rain the night before loosened up the dry soil in the fields just enough to allow for easier hoeing, so everyone was in the fields taking advantage of the moisture. However, within a few hours the field was filled with 150 young mothers, children of all ages, elders and others – creating a sea of amazing bright colors.
Leah and I spent an incredible week in Rwanda, and working on solar light distributions with NPO-TER was a real highlight. We were joined in Rwanda by the Let There Be Light International (LTBLI) team. It was really great to have our entire Shine On Rwanda team in the field together.
The solar light distribution in Gicumbi that day was a moving experience. The NPO-TER team provided instruction to the assembled group from the community on the use of the solar lights, and registered each participant, collecting detailed information about their living situations and their households. This information is used in follow-up visits to fully understand the impact the solar light has on their day-to-day lives.
For Leah and me the most memorable part of that morning was the people. We had the opportunity to speak with some of the solar light program participants (through interpretation by NPO-TER staff ) to learn a little about their lives, including how they navigate the long equatorial nights without electricity. It was a sensory experience – the vivid colors of the African dress, the expansive bright smiles of the kids, the smell of burning wood in the air. By mid-day the sun grew intense (we were at about 7,500 above sea level) and the distribution was wrapping up. We played around with the kids as we were getting ready to leave, including being taught the fine art every little kid in rural Africa practices – running with a stick and pushing a bicycle tire at your side.
This year the Shine On Rwanda initiative will distribute 2,000 solar lights to rural Rwandans living without electricity. That’s over 9,000 people whose lives will be a little brighter and safer. That’s thousands of kids who will be able do homework at night; its thousands of mothers who will be able to care for their young children; its thousands of families that will be able to see each other at night to better connect with each other; its thousands of mother’s being able to cook more safely; its thousands of elders living more safely and comfortably; and its thousands of people going to the latrine at night able to avoid snakes and other nighttime hazards. A small solar light can’t change the world, but it can make life better. It can make communities stronger and more resilient. It can brighten the future.
