Solar lantern donation ceremony held in Orinie Village, Kasiado District, Kenya
November 19, 2024 – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in collaboration with Panasonic Holding Corporation (Panasonic HD), has provided 100 eco-friendly solar lanterns to women and girls living in non-electrified areas in Kenya. The lanterns will enable women and girls who have been forced to live without light to move around and carry out their activities safely. The lanterns will also enable women and girls to study and engage in economic and social activities during the nighttime, thus expanding their hopes and possibilities for the future. At the donation ceremony, Kaziad district government officials and JICA officials watched as Panasonic HD donated solar lanterns to the village of Orinie. The confidence and hope that the lights bring is expected to empower women and girls to stand up against gender-based violence (GBV) and actively speak out and take action in their communities.
Located in the southwestern part of Kenya, the village of Orinje in Kaziad Province is characterized by vast grasslands and dry land, and is home to many Maasai people. The area is also known for its strong traditional customs and culture based on patriarchy, and many of the women and girls living in the village face serious problems such as domestic violence, sexual violence, and child marriage by their husbands and families. With limited opportunities for education and economic independence, women routinely experience violence from men who have control in the home and community, and the incidence of sexual violence in the community is also serious.
In response to this situation, JICA has been working with the government of Kaziad Province since 2023 to prevent and eliminate GBV. In the village of Orinie, many women and girls have not been able to speak out about the damage caused by GBV. This “culture of silence” makes it difficult to resolve issues and provide support. Therefore, we support women to increase their confidence, strengthen their knowledge and networks, and empower them economically. We are also working to improve men’s understanding and awareness and to strengthen support systems in villages.
The provision of solar lanterns in partnership with Panasonic HD was part of this project activity. Women and girls in the village of Orinier, who live in areas without electricity, will have access to light from the solar lanterns, which will enable them to study and carry out economic and social activities at night. The women are expected to increase their confidence and capacity and further strengthen their awareness and actions to confront GBV.
The donation ceremony was attended by about 100 village women, as well as the chairperson of the National Gender Equality Commission (NGEC), the counterpart agency of the project, and administrative officials of the Qaziad district. The participants expressed their hopes and expectations for the benefits that the solar lanterns would bring to their communities.
In response, Naoyuki Tada of the Panasonic Group sent a strong message, “We hope these lights will brighten the future of women and girls. A female leader from the village of Orinie said, “I am sincerely grateful to JICA and Panasonic for seeing us as human beings with a future. These solar lanterns will raise the level of our lives one step higher from now on”.
Naoyuki Tada (Panasonic Group), who said, “I hope this light will brighten the future of women and girls.
Afterwards, when the women actually held the solar lanterns in their hands, their eyes lit up, saying, “With this light, I can study at home,” and “I have more time for activities at night. If we have lights at night, we can write more songs to call for the elimination of GBV,” she said happily.
Women say, “With this light, I can study at home” and “I can be more active at night.
Women singing “I thank JICA for taking my hand and empowering me” at the donation ceremony
A woman smiles at her first night light
A woman spreads out a notebook for a literacy class under the night light.
The provision of solar lanterns will illuminate the future of women and girls and make a significant contribution to creating safer communities. JICA will continue to promote international cooperation for the prevention and elimination of GBV in collaboration with various partners and through co-creation of knowledge in order to realize a society in which many women and girls around the world can live safely and securely with dignity and hope for themselves and their future.
© Source JICA
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