Illuminating Futures
What is energy poverty?
Extreme energy poverty is one of the toughest challenges in the world today. It happens when people don’t have access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy, like the kind of electric lighting that’s essential for basic needs like studying at night. Sadly, most of those facing energy poverty also live in extreme poverty.
The Challenge
Manus is a predominantly subsistence economy which means many Manus parents struggle to provide lighting for children’s nighttime studies. The Division of Education has introduced a policy to supply lights to students – the one light per child policy – but progress has been slow.
Our Objective
To support the Division of Education deliver on their policy of ‘one light per child’ for all students, lift educational standards in the Manus Province and ultimately break the energy poverty cycle.
The illuminating futures Programme
SolarBuddy is an Australian charity on a mission to fight energy poverty by designing and distributing robust solar lights that are lifting education and health outcomes in developing countries around the
globe.
To learn more about the innovative Solar Buddy charity and their incredible lights, click here.
In 2024, with the approval of Education Advisor, Mr Kepo, Wantaim PNG and Solar Buddy initiated the Illuminating Futures campaign to support the Division of Education realise their goal of one light per child and brighten the educational paths of all students.
With the Province’s 95+ schools scattered across 600kms of sea, this was a major undertaking. Wantaim PNG joined forces with executive team members of the Provincial Women’s Association, Pihi Manus. Together, the two teams delivered lights to all students in 50 schools.
We’re incredibly proud of our partnership with Pihi Manus Association and our joint impact. Braving long hours and discomfort – muddy trails, sweltering heat, rain, and at times rough seas – to ensure Manus students have lights to complete their homework, succeed in school and break the cycle of energy poverty.
But the job’s not done yet and the search for funding to reach Manus’ remaining 46 schools continues.
Wantaim PNG acknowledges the generous financial and hands-on support from many hands without which this would not have been possible, including: Clough, Swires, GFS (PNG), Rotary RARE team and Alexandria Hills and a wonderfully supportive team of volunteers, friends, mates and children of husband and wife team, Emmanual Meraveka and Laurine Ryan.
Together – or Wantaim! – we are so much stronger.
As at June 2025, lights have been delivered to 50 schools across the Province.
