Solar Lighting for Primary Schools

Since its merger with Lumière Partagées in July 2023, Sourire d’Enfants has taken over the maintenance and development of the solar lighting system built in collaboration with the local NGO Les Mille Lucioles in the Boukoumbé municipality, in the north of Benin.

Today, 60 rural schools and 9 classrooms in secondary schools, totaling 69 classrooms, are illuminated thanks to the efforts of the association and its Beninese partner.

In a region where night falls around 6:30 PM year-round, the provision of solar lighting is a significant improvement, offering children good working conditions and enabling them to earn their Primary School Certificate (CEP). The lack of lighting in homes, with entire families often living in a single room, usually prevents children from studying in the evenings. Now, they can benefit from additional time at school to do their homework.

In schools illuminated by Sourires d’Enfants, 86% of the children passed their CEP in the 2023-2024 school year (a rising rate), which is well above the national average.

The 1% For Education Fund is proud to support this project for a period of 3 years.