The Panasonic Foundation has endeavoured to donate 100 000 solar powered lights to 22 developing countries.
To commemorate Nelson Mandela Day, Panasonic donated 1 584 lanterns to non-government organisations (NGOs) in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho.
Panasonic began the ‘100 Thousand Solar Lanterns Project’ in 2012 and since then have donated over 80 000 solar lanterns to those in need.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation, located in Houghton, was the beneficiary of 900 solar lamps, which will be distributed to the Hilda Makhanya Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal, which is currently completely off the grid. A creche and a clinic in Sobonakhona in KwaZulu-Natal will also receive solar lanterns.
The Lesotho Catholic Bishops Conference received 180 solar lanterns and the All Out Africa Foundation in Swaziland received 504 solar lanterns.
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Sello Hatang, the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, was present to receive the allocation of the lanterns. He said, “Our society has begun to make this abnormal situation normal, that we accept that poverty is part of us.
“I ask these questions: Why should we be celebrating these lanterns today? Why are we celebrating that Panasonic has made this donation today? We celebrate because we have normalised the abnormal.”
The lanterns are said to enable medical, educational and economic activities at night while also eliminating harmful kerosene lamps as well as the cost of fuel. Hiroyuki Shibutani, the director of the Africa district for Panasonic said, “We are honoured to be standing here today on the foundation created by Nelson Mandela, who we not only share a birthday with but the principle of enriching lives and positively contributing to communities. We believe that all the organisations present here today share the same principles.”
Edited by Beryl Knipe
Tell us what you think of the donation of solar lanterns to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, WhatsApp 079 439 5345.
