21st Century Meets 17th
Century in Abdullah Village
LEDtronics
CEO
Pervaiz Lodhie |
On
May 3, 2006 about 15 Solar Powered White LED Village Streetlights
were installed in the center of each cluster of four to
five huts in the Abdullah Village in the Hub area of Sindh,
Pakistan. Abdullah is a 400-year-old village and never had
any lights, except kerosene lamps or candles, before. The
LED light systems were designed and supplied by Pervaiz
Lodhie of LEDtronics. They were assembled in his Karachi
assembly plant. For some time now, Pervaiz has been working
closely with a World Bank- supported project that is being
funded through the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF)
and carried out on the ground in the Sindh coastal areas
by Shahid Khan of Indus Earth Trust.
The LEDtronics staff in Karachi helped in installing the
Solar Powered LED Lighting systems in the village just in
time for a World Bank and PPAF site visit a day later. About
15-20 officials of the World Bank and PPAF visited the village,
spoke with its habitants, observed the effects of the lighting,
and stayed overnight at the village.
Pictures
above: Solar Powered LED Lights designed by Pervaiz
Lodhie in USA bring about a wholesome change in a
village in Pakistan. The lights were manufactured
in Karachi by Shaan Technologies. Pictures by Nausheen
Dadabhoy |
The
life of the villagers has dramatically changed - for the
better. Afraid of snakes that they could not see, they did
not come out in the open at night before the lights were
installed.. The work that the villagers could not do during
the hot days is now done after sunset when the cool evening
breeze blows and the villagers come to the work tables set
up near the lights. The children can now study at night
and do their school work.
Women too are able to engage in their handicraft work and
much more. Villagers from other areas are now
coming to Abdullah Village to see the lights and are keen
to see them installed in their own villages.
Another 10 systems are now being installed. Once some quick
studies and feedback are received from the
first models additional systems with improvements will be
built and installed in other villages.
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