Many of Ol Pejeta’s neighbouring communities are rural, and must find their own way to access many of the household provisions that folks in towns and cities take for granted. With no mains electricity, many communities use kerosine lamps and battery-powered torches to light their homes at night - both are continually expensive and bad for the environment. As well as being financially and environmentally unsustainable, kerosine lamps can have a detrimental effect on a family’s health too; particularly children’s eyesight, which has been shown to suffer when kerosine lamp light is used to study or read in the evenings.

A recent visit by the Namene Solar Light Company has changed the game for 48 households near Ol Pejeta, as well as some of our own staff. Namene’s mission is to design affordable solar lights to connect rural, off-grid households to cleaner, cheaper and brighter energy.

They have created portable, versatile solar lights that are designed for everyday uses, such as study or home cooking. The lamps can even be converted into a handy, wearable head-torch, which is ideal on the move. Gitonga, from Weruini community, told us the lights are having a great impact on their children. “The solar lights are so useful to my three children during homework time, it is cheaper and it’s protecting their eyes from straining in candlelight.”

For our northern white rhino caregivers and rhino patrolmen, who were also given solar lights by Namene, the eco-friendly torches are proving to be a valuable and reliable piece of kit for night duties.