tcktcktck Badge

Join the call for a global climate deal at TckTckTck.org

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Solar Energy Charity: Helping Poverty Though the Provision of Solar Energy . Join Us!

Imagine a world where everyone has access to affordable, clean, renewable power.


About SolarAid

Power to the people
Two of the biggest threats facing humanity today are climate change and global poverty. SolarAid helps to combat both, simply by bringing clean, renewable power to the poorest people in the world.

Fighting poverty
Right now, two billion people have no access to electricity. They rely on burning fuels such as kerosene and wood for light and heat, which is highly toxic and expensive. Having solar power improves people's health, income and education. That's because solar power can enable poor people to cook food, pump clean water, run fridges, light homes, schools and hospitals, farm more effectively, and much more.

Fighting climate change
Climate change is mainly due to the massive and continuing use of burning fossil fuels for energy. This has pumped vast amounts of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. At the same time, we have destroyed vast tracts of forest, which has released billions of tonnes of carbon.

By replacing carbon-emitting products with solar power, and reducing our
dependency on burning wood and fossil fuels we can alleviate global warming.

Fact:
The average kerosene lamp, used widely across the developing world, creates around a tonne of carbon over seven years. Replacing these lamps with solar lanterns will lead to significant reductions in carbon emissions.



Our areas of work

Education

In rural Africa, many schools and homes do not have electric lighting. This means children cannot study after dark. We urgently need funds to bring solar-powered lanterns to homes. This will enable school children to complete assignments and continue their education beyond primary level. Electricity in schools will mean access to the web - and a world of learning.


Health

Save lives with SolarAid
A poor family in Africa burns around 55 litres of kerosene a year to light their home and are forced to cook food inside. Respiratory diseases caused by toxic smoke kill 1.6 million women and children each year. That's one death every 20 seconds.

Solar lanterns can replace kerosene, dramatically improving health. A solar cooker can be easily built from cardboard and waste reflective material, eliminating the need for indoor fires.


Livelihoods

Help people earn an income and fight poverty
SolarAid enables some of the poorest people in the world to make and sell solar-powered products. We need your help to provide raw materials, and train people in finance and marketing, so they can set up small businesses. This means they can earn a living, so they can afford to buy food and medicines and to send their children to school.


Stuff we need

SolarAid produces several products, which we need you to help us give to some of the world's poorest poorest. You'll see we need funds to produce solar lanterns, solar powered water pumps and much more. Each one can rapidly transform the lives of some of the poorest people in the world. We may also need equipment and supplies for our field offices from time to time.



Support us

There are so many different ways for you to help us fight poverty and climate change. Simply choose from the left-hand menu the way that suits you best.

SolarAid has also recently launched a virtual gift. For just £15 you will be helping us to reduce carbon emissions and continue lighting up the developing world. We will send you a thank you gift card to give to friends and family.



Make a donation

Two billion people in the world have no access to electricity. Solar power helps poor communities to change their lives, by enabling them to cook, pump water, store vaccines, light homes, irrigate crops and much more. Please make a donation today.

Donate to SolarAid

Or donate to a particular project.
Or buy a solar lantern.

No comments: