T

he President University has launched a solar-powered lighting program called the All Lights Village Project (AVP) in Labansari village, East Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java.

The AVP is a community-driven development program that provides solar-powered lights to the impoverished village. The program will help students in the area extend their study hours at home, particularly those whose homes are not connected to electricity networks. Meanwhile, their parents will also have an opportunity to improve their welfare.

The AVP is part of the East Asia Young Leaders Exchange (EAYLE) program, hosted by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Indonesia in cooperation with GPF Japan and President University. A number of students from GPF Japan, President University and the Islamic State University of Bandung (UIN Bandung) will be taking part in the event, which will commence on March 21.

As many as 65 solar-charged lights were donated at this AVP. The lights were given to householders who have no electricity and whose children attend school.

President University rector Chandra Setiawan said his institution would continue to support Labansari village. He also promised to establish a reading park in the village to help children boost their reading habits.

Based on data from state-owned electricity company PT PLN, 10,211 villages nationwide are not connected to the grid, 401 of which are located on Java and Bali.

Labansari is located near the industrial area, Jababeka city. Despite this proximity to industry, however, the villagers are very poor, mostly living in meager homes. The floors of most of the houses are merely ground, while the walls are primarily made of woven bamboo. Even though some of the houses have electricity, 90 percent of them are powered by other houses.

GPF Japan chairman Aya Goto suggested that cooperation among and commitment by all the people was paramount to sustaining the village'€™s development.

'€œThrough this All Lights Village Project, we will develop this village in all aspects: educational, economic, social and so on. However, we need people'€™s cooperation and commitment to sustain it. I hope that Labansari village will improve and even surpass other villages in East Cikarang district,'€ he stated.

In addition to donating the lights, the program'€™s participants also visited five families who had received the lights, to motivate them to live with passion and encourage their children to study hard.

Naskar Hansam
Bekasi, West Java