PROBLEM

East Sumba remains one of Indonesia’s regions with the lowest electricity access.
Many schools—especially in rural villages—are not connected to PLN electricity, forcing children to study using kerosene lamps, candles, or sunlight before dusk.

Lack of lighting impacts:
- Education: students cannot study at night; schools cannot use digital tools.
- Health: Children inhale smoke from kerosene lamps.
- Safety: Walking in the dark poses risks.
- Opportunity: families lose valuable evening time for learning and productivity.

With 25 priority schools still waiting for lamps, the need remains urgent.

Solution

Through the Light Up the Future program, Kawan Baik Indonesia and the partners deliver SolarBuddy and JuniorBuddy solar-powered study lamps to schools in the most remote parts of East Sumba. This effort includes importing 2157 JuniorBuddy and 24 StudentBuddy from Australia to Sumba, setting up a dedicated logistics warehouse, and conducting quality checks with the assistance of volunteers. Our team travels using off-road motorbikes and 4WD vehicles—and in some cases, walks more than 15 km from the last road access—to reach schools that are inaccessible by road. Alongside distribution, we provide PHBS education, training on lamp use and maintenance, and document all beneficiaries through a custom-built reporting application.

The Expected Impact

The program creates better learning opportunities for children who can now study safely at night and reduces health risks by eliminating exposure to kerosene lamp smoke. With reliable lighting, teachers can improve classroom activities and learning quality. The PHBS sessions also strengthen community awareness of hygiene and healthy living. Additionally, real-time data from the distribution app enhances transparency for donors and partners.

The Project Result

In the first phase of distribution, we successfully delivered 713 JuniorBuddy lamps and 8 StudentBuddy units to 9 schools across four subdistricts: Umalulu, Lewa, Haharu, and Kahaungu Eti. A dedicated SolarBuddy Distribution App was developed to support data collection and transparency throughout the process. PHBS health campaigns were carried out in all participating schools, and 24 teachers took part in the official handover ceremonies. The newly built warehouse is now fully operational and ready to support the next phases of distribution.

Project Cost

First Phase - Total Project Realization: Rp 135.219.304
Donation Received: Rp 135.245.381
Remaining Balance: Rp 26.077

Funding covered:

- Import handling & logistics
- Warehouse construction
- 2157 Lamp quality checks
- Field distribution to nine schools
- App development
- Health campaigns in nine schools
- Monitoring & evaluation