Make an orphaned child the Light of Your Life

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $6,040
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $93,960
Total Funding Goal: $100,000

LIGHT UP A CHILD’S LIFE WITH FREEPLAY FOUNDATION’S “LIGHT OF YOUR LIFE” HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN

One million orphans are estimated to live in Rwanda.  More than 100,000 orphaned households are headed by a child under 18.

After a long day, scratching out a subsistence living, the children have little light remaining to study or undertake income-generation tasks like sewing or beading.  Their lives could be significantly enhanced with clean, appropriate lighting. 

Responding to the plight of the child-headed households -- families that mostly live in darkness once the sun goes down – we are appealing for donations to our “Light of Your Life” Campaign this holiday season.

Aiming to raise $300,000 enabling 10,000 self-powered Lifelights to be delivered direct to households where they are needed most, we are asking for support from the public and inviting donations to the Campaign, however large or small each donation may be.

The Lifelight is a unique, robust, clean-energy, LED lantern that is powered by solar-power and wind-up renewable energy.  Used as a lamp or a torch, it can bring light to people’s lives and improve the quality of their life

The funding for the Lifelight’s research and development came from two-time Academy Award-winner, Tom Hanks.  An Ambassador for the Freeplay Foundation for over five years, Tom has supported our goals ever since he recognised the opportunity to change lives by enabling sustainable access to energy for those who need it most.

Since 1999, we have worked with thousands of child households in Rwanda, providing access to vital, even life-saving radio information and education through our self-powered Lifeline radios. 

The “Light of Your Life” Campaign is about reaching the most vulnerable communities that have no access to electricity, whilst appreciating the orphans of Rwanda represent only a tiny fraction of those in Africa:

“Poor adults spend between 15 – 40% of their income on candles and kerosene lanterns,” says Freeplay Foundation CEO Kristine Pearson.  “Children just cannot afford such an expense on a regular basis.  The dangers of exposing young children to candles and kerosene are well documented, although perhaps little appreciated.  Burns from fires are the second leading cause of accidental death and disfigurement for children under five and thousands of young children die each year from drinking kerosene, which they believe to be water”. 

Please make a donation to “The Light of Your Life” Campaign, to provide safe, clean energy light to orphans in Rwanda.
$40 will deliver one Lifelight to a child-headed household in Rwanda.  All donations, large or small, are much appreciated.