Slithering snakes in high grasses, dangerous crocodiles in the ponds, or big hippos in the rivers. These wild animals are not uncommon in Zambia but are rather avoided by the people. At night it becomes hard to see these animals, and even harder for young children or people who suffer from poor sight. Foundation Bricks for Zambia has distributed 24 WakaWakas to the Linda Blind Farm in Livingstone, to bring light and the feeling of safety to this community.
Linda Blind Farm
Linda Blind Farm is a special community. Formerly owned by an English farmer, the farm, that consisted of 20 small houses, was home to many employees. In the seventies, the farmer retired and decided to donate his farm to the local government of Livingstone, but under one condition. The farm was meant to shelter the disabled and homeless people, so they did no longer have to live and beg on the streets of Livingstone. Now, many families live in the Linda Blind Farm, being part of a close-knit community.
Foundation Bricks for Zambia
Most families, however, lack the means to send their children to a public school and do not have reliable access to electricity, if they are at all connected to the grid. Xavier Friesen, only 11 years old when he founded Bricks for Zambia, is determined to help children who are not offered the same opportunities. When he traveled to Zambia and saw the conditions of the Linda Blind Farm, he decided to improve and empower the community. He raised funds to build a school and made sure the children received good education. Nonetheless, the lack of reliable access to electricity was still present and made life after sunset dark and dangerous.
WakaWaka Lights For Safety In The Dark
Supported by WakaWaka, Xavier Friesen was able to donate 24 WakaWaka Lights to the families of the Linda Blind Farm. The news that the WakaWakas were distributed spread like wildfire in the community. The families were very happy to receive the lights and were surprised and curious to learn about the benefits of solar energy. Since most people experienced daily power cuts or could not even afford electricity, the distribution of the WakaWakas made a true impact. The school uses the WakaWakas for community activities at night, and the children use the WakaWakas to do their homework. But the most important aspect for the community is their increased feeling of safety that allows them to go outside at night with their WakaWakas. People feel more comfortable to leave their houses at night as the WakaWaka protects them from animals. And by using the SOS function on the WakaWakas all families can be warned when another slithering snake, dangerous crocodile, or big hippo is spotted.
“Daily life does no longer have to end when the sun sets.”
– inhabitant of the Linda Blind Farm
“The people were so happy to receive the WakaWakas. They were also very surprised that it is possible to have light without expensive and dangerous batteries and without being connected to the electricity grid”
– Xavier Friesen – Founder of Foundation Bricks for Zambia
https://staging.waka-waka.com/blog/foundation-bricks-zambia/