Solar Buddies – Year 5

Over the last few weeks, year 5 have been working with an organization called Solar Buddy. Solar Buddy is a company that provides lights for people that can’t afford electricity and need lights in their home.  These people have limited resources which means that their homes are pitch black at night. This is a problem because of many reasons such as seeing your homework in the evening so you don’t make a mistake or seeing what they are doing when they cook dinner in case they burn themselves.

This is where Solar Buddy comes in. Students and parents have all pitched in and came together to try and donate enough money to buy a box of solar buddies for those people in need of light. We waited a few weeks and then received our box of ‘buddies’. Year 5 made over 50 solar buddies and send them to people in need. We are so happy to be able to make a positive difference. Thankyou!!!

By Charlotte B and Georgia K, Year 5

Imagine you are walking down your street at night with no lights to guide you. Imagine trying to do your homework without any light. This is life for some people living in energy poverty. Energy poverty effects nearly 10% of the worlds’ population. This term, Year 5 decided to help by contributing to the organisation solar buddies.

Solar Buddies goal is to gift solar devices to millions of children living in energy poverty. To do this we started Junior buddy, a solar light that can be assembled by a child as young as 7.

After raising $3000 through donations, each year 5 student was able to assemble one junior buddy light. We had help from videos, instructions and teachers on how to put the light together. With the light came letters we could write to the person receiving the light. On that note we wrote about ourselves, our school, friends and family and drew colourful pictures and symbols as most of the kids receiving these are likely to hang the notes on their walls. Overall we had an amazing experience through the solar buddies process, and it was a great feeling to know we had helped people living in energy poverty.

By Stella L, Year 5