Because International and luminAID are partnering to provide light and shoes for families across Tanzania and Afghanistan. The shoes and solar lanterns will be sent through Lifting Hands International, a humanitarian aid organization focused on relief for refugees. 

Carlissa, Director of Utah Operations at Lifting Hands International, shares that “due to poverty, most families in Tanzania and Afghanistan, especially refugee families, cannot afford proper shoes. Sometimes they will wear old broken shoes or go barefoot which can lead to many health issues like foot infections, cuts due to sharp objects on the ground, or intestinal worms entering through cuts in their feet. Some areas have places to purchase shoes, but due to poverty, the beneficiaries can't purchase them.”

In addition, Carlissa explains that “severe weather conditions like snow storms, monsoons, etc can also cause long term power outages. When [refugees in Tanzania and Afghanistan] do have electricity, it's spotty. Solar lanterns will allow them to have light no matter what the electric situation is in their area. Light allows them the opportunity to function after the sun goes down, and also provides some safety.”

We asked Daphna, the Partnership Director at luminAID, to tell us more about luminAID’s mission and commitment to distributing light worldwide. 

LUMINAID WAS CREATED IN 2010 AS AN INNOVATIVE RESPONSE TO A PROBLEM—PROVIDING LIGHT TO MEET A CRITICAL NEED AFTER DISASTERS. HOW HAS LUMINAID’S MISSION CONTINUED OR EVOLVED OVER THE LAST DECADE?  

Daphna: luminAID solar lanterns were created to address the needs of families displaced after a disaster, when Co-Founders Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork first invented luminAID's inflatable solar lantern technology as architecture grad students after the 2010 Haiti Earthquake.

Since then, the technology has been adopted by the humanitarian aid sector not just for disasters but also education, remote medical care, and for commercial consumers who use our products to prepare for power outages or take them camping and hiking.

One of the biggest evolutions in our technology and mission has been the introduction of our 2-in-1 phone charger lanterns.  We introduced this product in 2017 based on feedback from the field– your phone is a critical survival tool after a disaster, and also serves as a connection to resources, commerce, and information.  Being able to have a safe, rechargeable source of light and portable power has been a game-changer, and it's given us the opportunity to address a greater range of needs through our partnerships with nonprofits and community groups, as well as emergency responders.

WHERE HAS LUMINAID DISTRIBUTED LANTERNS?

Daphna: Over the last 10 years, we've been able to work with nonprofits operating in over 100 countries.

In 2019 alone, nonprofits brought out lights to over 70 countries.  We've been fortunate to partner with such a diverse group of organizations, which range from small personal projects to international relief aid NGO's, through our Nonprofit Subsidy Program, which provides a discount on our lights to nonprofits and community groups, and our Give Light, Get Light Program, which allows our commercial customers to sponsor lights for charitable projects.

IN YOUR THINKING, WHY DO LIGHT AND SHOES MAKE SENSE TOGETHER?

Daphna: I think that light and shoes are a perfect pair because they both address larger issues and needs that children living in poverty or crisis may have.

When a child has a luminAID light, that impacts their education, because they now have the ability to study at home after dark, makes them feel safer walking at night or in the early morning, and can even help them breathe easier if it's replacing a kerosene lantern at home.  The Shoe that Grows also has this range of benefits, helping children get to school comfortably and protecting their feet from soil-related diseases so they can stay healthy and active.

Giving a child light and shoes empowers them to focus on their education and dream big.