Suad (pictured) was born in July 2008.  She is a pupil at the Vickrays Community Primary School.  She is in class three. Suad lives with her parents and two siblings in a two bedroom apartment with no electricity and water supply. 

Suad was delighted to receive one of the lights that your donations helped provide - as this is helping her study at night. Suad looks forward to using this safe and renewable light source for many years.

Our story begins in 2010:

Isata was born in August 1999 in a very poor home. Her mother and father both work, but are struggling to care for their six children and they live in a slum dwelling.    Isata has been able to attend school the past eight years thanks to Develop Africa's scholarship program.  

During the second term of the 2015/2016 academic year, students at Bitame Lucia International School participated in and enjoyed many activities and celebrations.

In Cameroon, the entire nation annually celebrates National Youth Day mobilizing the next generation of leaders. This celebration instills them with pride and the knowledge that their uniqueness plays an important role for their future advancement.

According to theguardian - "...an estimated 58 million of primary aged children are still out of school, 31 million of them girls, the majority living in sub-Saharan Africa. Gender disparities increased in secondary and tertiary education, despite more young people enrolling over the past 20 years." ~ Two-thirds of world's illiterate adults are women, report finds

On Wednesday March 9th, 2016, there were 87 children present for the After School Lesson Program - supported through YOUR donations. While this was a good number of kids, this number is considered low attendance.

The current drop in attendance is due to the fact that schools are in an examination season. Many kids are home preparing for their exams. The current exams are to mark the end of first term in this 2 term academic year. We are expecting to have a surge in attendance when schools reopen in April for the last semester in the 2016 school year.

We are deeply grateful for YOUR support as we realize the significance of what this batch of lights will be to the kids in Africa.

Kerosene lamps cause burns, fires, produce smoke and particulate into the air that can damage lungs and eyes. Thankfully, this damage will no longer occur in the lives of the kids that will receive the lights that YOU helped provide.