Phnom Penh (November 12, 2014) – Panasonic Corporation, one of the largest Japanese electronics producers, donated today 450 more sets of solar lanterns for the second phase, worth about US$20,000 to Cambodian rural poor community who have no access to electricity. The donation was channeled through LIFE WITH DIGNITY (LWD) under the coordination of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Association (JELA).
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Ms. Rika Fukuda, General Manager for CSR & Citizenship Group, Panasonic Corporation, said that the donation which was part of the 100 Thousand Solar Lanterns Project of Panasonic, aimed to help address social challenges of the poor in the areas without access to electricity, especially to support the education and health sectors.
She hopes that there would be some changes in life of those who used the lanterns.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, LWD Executive Director Mr. Min Sor, on behalf of the poor community, expressed his sincere thanks to Panasonic Corporation for its continued support to the rural community who live in the remote areas in Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Speu provinces.
Mr. Min Sor highlighted that through the learning experiencing from the Phase I Project, solar lanterns had indeed positively impact on the lives of the poor in rural Cambodia.
“We are confident to implement this second project more successfully and the selected recipients will largely benefit from this project,” he said, adding that without the continued support from Panasonic, LWD would never be able to continue the phase II project.
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All the lanterns would be distributed to the target community the following weeks and LWD would be responsible and accountable for the distribution and would closely monitor how they were used, he said.
Target groups who will receive the lanterns included those working and living in the off-grid areas under LWD target areas. They are (i) Village Health Support Groups, (ii) Female Headed Households that have more than four children, (iii) Community Learning Centers and pre-schools, (iv) Village Bank Committees, (v) Agricultural Cooperative Committees, and (vi) Village Development Committees.
Last year Panasonic donated 222 sets of solar lantern for the same purpose.