Azzura Solar Lights Up the Dark With Bright Future Program

Hemant Chanrai hopes to change lives

 in rural Indonesia by installing solar 

light kits in homes and schools. 

(Photos courtesy of Azzura Solar)

Beyond the blinding night lights of the city that never sleeps, more than 5 million Jakarta residents live without access to electricity. Relying on sunlight by day and flickering candlelight by night, these families are not just deprived, but are also putting their lives at risk.

A single electrical light can be a powerful and long-term force to build an entire family’s well-being, says Hemant Chanrai, founder of the Bright Future Program (BFP) by Azzura Solar, which is dedicated to providing effective solar light kits to rural areas with little or no electricity in Indonesia.

“Many children living in rural areas are unable to read, write or study after dark,” says Hemant, 27. “With a fluctuating electricity supply and high costs, families rely on kerosene or oil lamps, which emit harmful fumes and can potentially cause fire. This makes solar power almost a necessity in Indonesia, but the people who really need it, can’t afford it.”

Azzura Solar produces affordable solar light kits comprised of three LED bulbs attached to a photovoltaic panel. There is also an indoor solar battery that can serve to charge mobile phones.

These light kits can light up an entire room for seven to 14 hours.

“Solar energy paired up with LED lights is safer, efficient and requires far less power compared to incandescent bulbs,” Hemant says.

He adds that Indonesia’s substantial size and generous amount of sunlight throughout the year makes it the perfect spot for solar power.

The Bright Future Program works hand-in-hand with other non-profit organizations, corporations and charities striving toward sustainable development that can eventually help alleviate poverty.

Joseph Wadakethalakal of Seroja Indo Mandiri, one of the main contributors to the program, says the “poor state of rural electrification in Indonesia is both urgent and compelling.”

“Insufficient access to electricity is a significant barrier to long-term economic development in this country. The fact is, there’s a wide ocean of people in this country limited from achieving their full potential due to a lack of electricity and I find that fundamentally unfair,” Joseph says.

Another organization that has partnered with Azzura Solar is Hope Worldwide, which works to eradicate poverty worldwide through education, community development, health care and more. One of its programs is a school sponsorship scheme on the outskirts of Jakarta, which aims to provide basic education to children from poor families.

“Although the classes are conducted in the afternoon, Jakarta’s unpredictable weather means it can get dark in the afternoon, which hinders the classes for these children,” says Norisman Bukit, who is responsible for the program in Kampung Arang Anyer, Tangerang.

“The solar kits installed by Azzura Solar have helped these children to continue their education without having to worry about canceling their classes due to the lack of something as basic as light.”

Norisman adds that these lights are perfect for emergency cases, potentially saving the lives of the less fortunate and helping them survive another day.

“We make both a social and environmental impact,” says Agnes Chanrai, Hemant’s wife, who helps run the program. “By creating a sense of safety and security, which is a part of sustainability, we help rural homes to benefit over the long term from these environmentally friendly solar kits.”

Each light kit costs Rp 1.3 million ($110), a sum that contributors can pay up front or that they can pay for in daily installments of 99 cents through Azzura Solar.

“We believe in doing one thing but doing it well,” Hemant says.

“This project has accountability for all the funds donated, which means you can see where every dollar and effort will be going.”

Apart from monetary contributions, the Bright Future Program also encourages people, especially students, to volunteer their time and efforts by joining Hemant to personally inspect and install the solar light kits in rural areas throughout Indonesia.

Most importantly, volunteers are needed to help spread the word and rally committed contributors around this worthwhile project.

To date, Azzura Solar has installed 52 light kits in 10 homes since it was established in 2013.

The organization is committed to empowering families that live off the grid to eventually help themselves. It is also determined to rebuild the infrastructure of an entire village by installing big solar installations to provide affordable lights, and also water pumps.

Electricity is a basic human right that many rural families have been deprived of. “We all take electricity for granted and therefore we fail to realize that it is a prerequisite for almost everything we do in our lives,” Joseph says.

By Divyha Pridhnani on 05:14 pm Jul 02, 2014