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SolarBuddy Hike for Light 

This December, ten members of the SolarBuddy team will be taking part in their very own Hike for Light with a twist, as they hike 65km across Tasmania’s Overland Track with On Track Expeditions. Our team has a fundraising target of $65,000, to donate lights to children living in energy poverty in Madagascar, where 7.9 million children live without access to electricity. 

Madagascar is one of the most impoverished countries in the world, with this fact receiving very little recognition. Here’s a snapshot into what Tiam Whitfield; talented photographer, designer, long term supporter and friend of SolarBuddy’s, experienced while he was there on a light distribution in 2018. 

“Generally, Madagascar was nothing like I had expected. I imagined large forests filled with lemurs and chameleons, although there are some parts like that, I was very naive. 

Madagascar is a perfect case of the impacts that a large population of people living in energy poverty have on the land. You have 26 million people (more than Australia) living in a space smaller than Queensland with the majority living without energy. The country experiences, like most of Africa, systemic corruption and civil unrest. They also seasonally get hit by devastating cyclones and extreme drought. 

So all these people need shelter, heating, food, transport, a living and they get this by chopping down trees and clearing land for agriculture. So when you drive outside the main city Antananarivo, all of the beautiful landscape is cut down and a lot is terraced for growing food. You also drive through fairly large towns at night that are in complete darkness.

Outside the cities, it is like a time warp to before the industrial revolution, very basic machinery, ox and cart, living off the land.”

If you would like to support SolarBuddy’s Hike for Light, please visit our fundraising page through the button below!

The SolarBuddy Team is Growing!

This month, we are very excited to introduce you to two of our newest team-members! Firstly we would like to welcome Linda Hauns, our new Communication and Social Media Officer! Linda has long been combining her passion for sustainability and social impact and employing her skills in communication and marketing management to make a difference. We can’t wait to work alongside Linda to illuminate futures and create a more equitable and sustainable world! 

There is a very special person who has been an integral part of the SolarBuddy team, volunteering her time and expertise in the education and fundraising space for almost two years, and we are so proud to announce that she is now an official member of the SolarBuddy team. Introducing our new Director of Stakeholder Management, Joanna Cantwell! We are so thrilled to finally have Jo officially on board and look forward to learning from and working alongside her through this journey. 

Simon Doble Joins KTF''s Archer Leaders Development Program 

Every year, the Kokoda Track Foundation run The Archer Leaders Development Program, a four-day immersion program focused on nurturing the next generation of passionate, adaptive and dedicated leaders in the social impact space. 

Last year our CEO and Founder, Simon Doble, had the honour of being a guest mentor for the program and was lucky enough to host the team at SolarBuddy HQ. This month, Simon had the pleasure of joining the Archer Leaders once again, only this time from his lounge room via Zoom. 

KTF carry out life changing work in Papua New Guinea, by providing access to education and healthcare, focusing on improving livelihoods and well-being and of course, inspiring the next generation of leaders. 

The Archer Leadership Program has been running for nine years, helping future leaders gain confidence and skills, and providing them with fundamental resources and networks to support their leadership development. 

Hike for Light Wins C&IT APAC Award! 

SolarBuddy would like to extend a massive congratulations to our partner, cievents on winning the THE C&IT APAC Award in Team-Building Event of the Year for our Hike For Light - Vanuatu and Cambodia experience.

Hike for Light was created in partnership between cievents, SolarBuddy and On Track Expeditions, to provide a unique corporate experience that has a lasting positive impact on communities living in energy poverty. 

The team-building experience sees professional teams learn about energy poverty, fundraise for SolarBuddy lights and hike to distribute these lights by hand throughout the communities they will visit.

“Programmes such as ''Hike for Light'' are team building projects that have great longevity, as I have seen co-workers come back with stronger bonds completing something almost as meaningful.” - Judges (C&IT APAC Award) comment 

To learn more about the award, hit the button below!

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands, waters, and culture where we live and work, and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

Join us in raising $65,000 for children living in Madagascar

Madagascar.

One of the most beautiful countries in the world. Unfortunately, it also has one of the highest rates of poverty in the world. Approximately 75% of the population live on less than $1.90 per day.

It comes as no surprise that Madagascar, therefore, has one of the highest rates of chronic malnutrition globally with almost one out of two children under the age of five years suffering from stunting.

Just one in ten people have access to safe and reliable electricity and 7.9 million Malagasy children live in energy poverty. On top of that, hundreds of thousands of children drop out of school every year.

At SolarBuddy, we strongly believe that education is one of the most powerful weapons to change the world. This is why our team has decided to raise $65,000 for children living in energy poverty in Madagascar.

$65,000 = 2,179 solar lights

2,179 solar lights will:

- positively impact 10,850 lives

- create 4,752,300 study hours over three years

- offset 336,350 CO2e kgs

- save families up to 80% of their weekly kerosene expenditure

Together, we can make this happen!

But we need your help to reach our goal!

Swap this week''s takeaway dinner with a $30 donation to SolarBuddy and your solar light gift will light up the future of a Malagasy child living in energy poverty.

Kicking off National Science Week at MacGregor State School

Last week we kicked off National Science Week at MacGregor State School.

Nearly 400 students in Year 5 and 6 came together to learn about energy poverty and assemble 200 solar lights for children in Papua New Guinea.

The lights will have immense educational, health, economic and environmental benefits for the children and their communities and allow them to safely study after dusk.

“I was happy making the lights. I hope they have good luck at studying with their lights and have a good life and achieve their dreams”

- Chandraesh, Grade 5, MacGregor State School

The activity is part of our STEM-based Education program that teaches students about renewable technologies, energy poverty and global citizenship during a hands-on, engaging session.

Additionally, it also gives students a chance to gain a deeper understanding of ethical and intercultural global issues in a unique and impactful way.

The enthusiastic students finished the session by handwriting 200 letters to their buddies which will be delivered along with the solar lights.

"The students were highly engaged in building the solar lights and enjoyed having the opportunity to write letters to the children in Papua New Guinea who will be the recipients of the lights. The workshops were a valuable service-learning opportunity for our students to learn about people living in energy poverty across the world as well as reminding them of the privileges they enjoy living in a comparatively wealthy nation, Australia.

The teachers who attended the workshops were impressed by the level of student engagement and the rich conversations generated back in the classroom by the children about their learning. Thank you to SolarBuddy and corporate sponsor Deloitte for providing this wonderful free incursion to our students which was indeed a highlight of Science Week at Macgregor State School."

- Mr. Lee Gerchow, Principal at MacGregor State School

This day was made possible through the support of our partner Deloitte Australia and its WordClass Impact Program.

SolarBuddy and Deloitte will change the lives of 5,000 people as a part of Deloitte''s major goal of making a positive impact on 50 million people.

If you would like to take part in an engaging STEM program with philanthropic purpose, please contact our Education and Programs Officer, Olivia King, at olivia@solarbuddy.org,

check out our website,

or watch our Education Programs video

Unlocking the Power of Partnerships

The Origin Foundation has been an incredible partner of tremendous value for the past two years.

Hundreds of Origin volunteers have volunteered their time through our EducationBuddy program to support our goal of gifting six million solar lights to children living in energy poverty by 2030.

Our education program encourages student collaboration, inter-cultural understanding, creative and critical thinking while inspiring students to consider how innovative design solutions can transform lives.

Read our latest blog post to learn:

- how Origin’s corporate volunteers became local heroes during the bushfire crisis

- how they brought our home-based social impact project to life during COVID-19

Become a Catalyst for Change

Would you also like to become a catalyst for positive change through a partnership with SolarBuddy?

Please contact Billie Murphy, General Manager of SolarBuddy at billie@solarbuddy.org.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands, waters, and culture where we live and work, and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.