LED Africa is a non-profit charitable organization started in 2009 whose mission is to provide rural secondary schools in Malawi with lighting powered by solar energy. The lighting system uses LED lanterns that are built in Malawi by Malawians. The schools use the lighting to provide regular evening study sessions for their students. Initial funds are required for the components and the installation of the system. However, after the lighting system has been installed the secondary schools will cover the future costs of maintenance and component replacement using the money that they currently spend on fuel for their kerosene lanterns. LED Africa works in partnership with the schools to ensure that the lighting systems continue to function well into the future.

LED Africa's goals in providing these lighting systems to rural secondary schools are: 

1.  To improve the quality of life for the students and their communities.

2.  To increase the typically very low pass rates at these schools by at least 50%.

3. To provide employment to the local community.

4.  To create small scale manufacturing of renewable energy products within Africa.

The president, Ray Penner, is a member of the science faculty at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. Ray has lived and taught at both secondary schools and universities in Africa during his lifetime. His experience has shown him the great potential that Africa has and that the key to unlocking this potential is education.

For more information please contact:

Ray Penner, President
LED Africa
Email: penner@ledafrica.org
Tel: (250) 753-3245 ext. 2336