Vivo Energy, the company that distributes and markets Shell branded fuels and lubricants in 16 African countries, has donated 50 solar lamps to Bulamba Primary School in Luwero with an aim of improving the performance of students. The school is a government sponsored primary schools currently operating without electricity.
The donation took place at the school where Vivo Energy aims to improve and contribute to the pupils’ educational development by enabling them study for extra hours in the night through solar lighting.
Today, approximately 800 million people in the world lack access to reliable lighting and many in Uganda rely on kerosene and candles as their main source of lighting, which constrains their study through dimness, indoor air pollution, fire risks, and high marginal cost of usage.
Vivo Energy’s, community investment efforts are focused more on road safety, education and the environment, and the company is driving a number of high-impact community initiatives aimed at improving the lives of people in these three areas.
Cerinah Zalwango, the Corporate Communications Manager at Vivo Energy Uganda, said that lack of adequate lighting critically undermines children’s ability to study in the evening and consequently constrains their performance in the classrooms.
“In this digital era, lighting is ever more important for pupils living in rural regions to keep up with and compete with those in urban areas,” said Cerinah.
“Solar energy is an excellent alternative for fossil fuels like coal because it is practically emission free. With solar energy the danger of further damage to the environment is minimized” Cerinah concluded.
Vivo Energy has invested an additional USD 15,000 to provide solar lamps to rural schools in other parts of Uganda to extend the time of studying and improve their academic performance.
