See The Light Africa

We're bringing solar lighting to Africa one village at a time. YOU can help. Portable, affordable, and environmentally friendly. Brighten the lives of thousands of African men, women, and children while helping cut back their carbon footprint. My name is Mariah Bess and I'm a student at The Archer School For Girls, in Los Angeles, California. Each year, students from Archer participate in various types of service learning projects. These projects range from cleaning beaches, helping the homeless, working in food banks or in after-school enrichment programs; even participating in Walk-A-Thons for charitable causes. I wanted to set my sights beyond our borders. This last year the world has seen and heard a great deal about Africa in the news. Civil unrest in Kenya. The continuing military conflict and genocide in Darfur. The further spread of AIDS/HIV. Rapid expansion into Africa by both established and emerging nations -- which will lead to the depletion of Africa's precious natural resources and possible environmental catastrophe. The list is seemingly endless. And most of the news is dark. I wanted to do something about this, no matter how modest the effort might be. An acquaintance of my family grew up in Kenya. He said that one of the most life-changing events that could happen in remote villages would be the introduction of solar energy. So many people throughout Africa live so far from "the grid" that the opportunity to have electrical power is a near impossibility. What we take for granted in our lives -- light and energy to power everyday household items that make our lives easier -- is unheard of outside of Africa's urban areas. Even in large cities, a constant source of reliable energy is not always a given. I thought, "wouldn't it be great to be able to power a village?" Not only would solar panels "let there be light," they'd be doing so without harming Africa's pristine environment. One big problem. Solar panels aren't cheap. Neither is getting them to Africa. And training people to install and maintain them is a whole other story. Enter Mark Bent, the founder of SunNight Solar Company. By chance, I read an article about him in the newspaper. After years working in Africa for the U.S. government and business executive, Mark invented the BoGo solar powered light and has been steadily introducing it throughout Africa. When I discovered this, I knew I was on to something not only doable, but worthwhile. It's my goal to light up the lives of as many villagers in Africa that I can. While $30.00 for a BoGo light seems a lot in tough economic times, it'll make a world of difference for the fortunate few who might someday own one. Please help support this very worthwhile project. Thank you.