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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has partnered with the Australian-based non-profit Solar Buddy to provide solar-powered light kits to areas lacking electricity. The church's recent donation was aimed at families in Papua New Guinea, helping to bring light to communities that typically spend their evenings in darkness.
Young men from the Port Moresby Stake in Papua New Guinea assembled 500 Solar Buddy light kits, which harness daylight for energy and illuminate homes at night. These kits were transported to Gavuone, a remote community on the Gulf of Papua.
On April 15, 2025, students at Gavuone Primary School in the Abau District received these light kits during a ceremony. Each student was given a Solar Buddy kit, a gesture that Headmaster Dahra Latha of Gavuone Primary School described as a "blessing to his struggling region."
"My children really need these solar lights. We have a problem where children in the community do not do their homework because of no lights in the house. Providing these kinds of lights to them will help them do a better job with their homework and will improve their studies especially in the home," Latha said.
The arrival of the kits had an immediate impact: 15-year-old Thara Obea could complete her homework in the evening, while 17-year-old Benjamin Koio studied for tests without having to create a makeshift fire for light. Koio remarked, "I can do my work at night without bothering my family. I really needed something like this."
Since partnering with Solar Buddy in 2023, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has helped assemble and distribute over 11,000 light boxes globally, enhancing the lives of many through the provision of light.
