A typhoon survivor in northern Cebu holds a WakaWaka lamp. The lamp has solar panels on one side that stores heat energy from the sun. It also serves as cellular phone charger. (CONTRIBUTED)
The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc., together with the International Rescue Committee, distributed 2,500 WakaWaka solar lamps in northern Cebu to temporarily light the homes of typhoon Yolanda survivors who have no access to electricity until now.
Nearly three months after supertyphoon Yolanda ravaged northern Cebu, many survivors are living with fuel-powered lamps or candles at home. The typhoon toppled most of the electrical posts in the area.
Beneficiaries from the towns of Tabogon, Medellin, Madridejos, and Daanbantayan were grateful as they can now light up their homes, especially during night time. The solar-powered lamps can be used up to 16 to 100 hours once fully-charged.
The lamps have solar panels that can generate power during daytime.
With its multi-purpose cables, the WakaWaka lamps also serve as universal charger of cellular phones, ensuring that people could still have power to make emergency calls even when electricity is down.
IRC also gave blankets, jerry cans and mats to the residents during the activity last Jan. 28.