File:Lighting the way home in Sindh, Pakistan.jpg

English: Many villages in rural Sindh, southern Pakistan, have had no electricity since the floods last year, and villagers have had to spend some of what little money they have on buying candles, kerosene oil, and rechargeable torches, as well as food.

Marvi who lives in one such village, explains how a simple solar light unit is making a big difference to her life, as she attempts to recover from the floods:

“I use the solar light to see for cooking at night, and we're now saving money because we had to buy candles and kerosene before. We also use it to charge our mobile phones.”

As part of the UK’s response to the floods, DFID has provided 12,000 innovative solar light units to people in Yousaf Babar and other villages across southern Pakistan. This is the first time DFID has invested in solar technology as part of the UK’s response to a disaster.

The solar lights cost about £10 per unit and give sustainable, free light for up to 10 hours after each charge, and can last for up to five years. The cost of each unit is recouped within a couple of months, providing excellent value for money.

The lights are also having an impact on people's safety. People who lost their homes after the floods last year had to live in tents, in emergency camps for months. These camps had no light, and research has shown that abuse on women and children always tends to increase, due in part to no light being available after dark. Providing simple solar powered lighting can help tackle this.

Another benefit from the solar technology is recharging mobile phones, which are vital communication lifelines in rural areas. Landline telephones do not exist in much of rural Pakistan, or were destroyed in the floods, so mobile phones are essential for allowing people forced away from their home to keep in touch with family and community.

The solar light units provided by UK aid can be adapted to charge people’s mobile phones, helping reunite displaced families and communities, and enabling them to try to resume normal life.

To find out more about how the UK is helping in Pakistan, please visit: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/Features/2011/Pakistan-floods---one-year-on/

Image credit: Vicki Francis/Department for International Development

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