Let there be Light

Catherine, Congolese TBA, demonstrating the Luci light

What a creative and practical idea!  Thanks to Michelle Mahlik our health workers in Nepal and Congo are now 'beta testing' Luci lights.

The soft plastic lanterns (think beach ball) are solar powered and collapse into a round disc about 1 inch tall.  They can then be blown up into a lantern about 8 inches tall.  A handy little handle on top allows them to be hung up.  We took one to Zambia in January and showed it to the 25 health workers at the Ebola workshop.  They loved it!  They also unanimously agreed the one we had should be sent home with the Congolese Wasaidizi since they need it at night when they deliver babies.  If they last and work well, I can envision little Luci lights swinging on the front of the Zambulances as they bump across the trails at night whisking people to the outpost hospital.