First flicker of light in Zambia for town charity

These solar lights will provide young women with the opportunity to study at home as many of them don’t currently have free use of electricity outside of school.

Jillian Patchett, founder of the ‘Lurgan Lights’ project, strongly believes that poverty shouldn’t stand in the way of young women accessing education in their communities.

These solar lights will enable young girls to do their homework after a day at school and in many cases, after a long trek home.

Since the launch of ‘Lurgan Lights’ in November, Jillian has continued to shine a light on the problem.

More recently, the charity called on local students to get their creative juices flowing in order to raise much needed funds for the cause.

Jillian invited all students throughout the borough to submit an essay along with a donation of £1, raising an overall total of £92.

The fund-raising activity was won by Zakk Gowing from Markethill High School who wrote a very thought-provoking piece about what impact having no electricity would have on his daily life.

For his efforts he received a £25 iTunes voucher from Jillian.

Some of the money donated was done so by boys and girls who didn’t even take part in the competition. Others took pride in showcasing their work, writing hard-hitting pieces about how they would cope without electricity.

This creative task also allowed them to identify with the Zambian girls, as many of them are also preparing for exams.

Over recent months the local charity has gone from strength to strength and it has gained support from all corners of the community.

This is the first cheque that the charity has issued for solar lights since its formation and it is a certainty that it wont be the last either.