Projects
Solar Home Light Systems
Currently the main source of light for families living in the high Andes comes from candles or kerosene. Health problems that are associated with using candles or kerosene are many because these sources produce dangerous smoke. There are mountain areas where 95% of the women suffer from low respiratory capacity because they spend much time in the home breathing smoke.
Children suffer as well. Due to staying home with mother, and being in the smoke filled kitchen, children also suffer from lung issues. Furthermore the worst problem for the children is suffering from severe burns from having kerosene lamps and lit candles in the house while parents are away from home.
Breathing smoke year after year leads to unique vision problems, urinary and poor health conditions peculiar to living at high altitudes in the Andes. Much of these can be resolved with the elimination of candles and kerosene lamps and the introduction of Solar Home Light Systems in the home.
In Chumbivileas, Peru, Grupo purchased five Solar Light Systems to test results under normal living conditions with several families, inhabitants of a small pueblo high in the Andes. In these mountain areas, nearly 45% of homes have no or limited access to electricity. Grupo's goal is to provide 250 lighting systems which will affect the lives of over 1,500 people here.
In the photos seen on this page, Cece visits Sabrina prior to installation of the Solar Home Lighting System. Sabrina has lived her entire life in a home without electricity. That evening, after a 15-minute installation of the Solar Home Lighting system, Andres and Sabrina have bright lighting in their home for the first time in their lives.
