Bringing Solar-Powered Lighting to Two Families After 24 Years Without Electricity

Date: February 6, 2017 
Location: Jaya Mawatha, Dedigamuwa, Sri Lanka 
Project: Solar-Powered Household Lighting 
Donation Beneficiaries: Two families

On February 6, 2017, I was able to provide solar-powered lighting systems to two families living in Jaya Mawatha, Dedigamuwa, who had relied on kerosene oil lamps for 24 years without access to household electricity.

This initiative held deeply personal significance for me. During my own childhood, I spent approximately 16 years living without electricity, studying and carrying out everyday activities by the light of a kerosene lamp. Those memories have remained with me throughout my life.

Having experienced those difficulties myself, I understood how meaningful even a modest source of electric lighting could be to a family, particularly to children who needed to study after sunset.

With the installation of solar-powered lighting systems, these two households were able to experience electric lighting in their homes. I hoped that this improvement would make their daily lives more comfortable and provide a better environment for their children's education.

I remain sincerely grateful to my former schoolmate, whose generous support helped make this initiative possible.

Of all the community service projects I have undertaken, this remains one of the most personally meaningful. After spending 16 years of my own life studying by kerosene lamp, helping two families move beyond 24 years of similar hardship was an experience of extraordinary emotional significance.

The memory of seeing those homes illuminated continues to remind me that even a relatively small act of kindness can make a meaningful difference in someone's everyday life.