Light for Nepal

Walburga and Werner Hirsch are light-bearers. Literally. As part of the Saptarangi Foundation Nepal Project, they’re helping to bring Sonnenglas® to the most remote corners of Nepal to provide the gift of light to people who need it the most.

Not everywhere in the world is it as common to have electricity, running water or even electric light as it is here in Germany. In Nepal, for example, many people live isolated and under very difficult conditions, especially in winter, when permanent frost and fresh snow are frequent occurrences in the high mountains. It gets bitterly cold at night. The people who are native to the Everest area, and living without electricity, are the ones most affected by these harsh conditions. In addition to the cold, there is another obstacle they face: the dark. In winter, the sun sets at 4 p.m., and without artificial lighting, the days there are very short for residents.

Aid to Nepal

(Image) Sonnenglas® in Nepal / © Hirsch family

Walburga and Werner Hirsch observed these conditions on one of their trips to South Asia. The couple operates a jewelry store in Rastatt that not only sells chains and wedding rings, but also our Sonnenglas® lanterns. The two have long supported an ongoing aid project in Nepal and are familiar with the challenges faced by those living in rural areas of the nation. For every Sonnenglas® lantern sold in their shop, they donate 10 euros to the Saptarangi Foundation Nepal Project. The funds from the project are used to support a small community in Nepal by building schoolhouses and infrastructure with the goal of strengthening the underprivileged rural population.

Taking Light to Great Heights

(Image) The Hirsch family brings light to the people of Nepal / © Hirsch family

After the couple distributed a few Sonnenglas® lanterns to the residents in a small test run, it became clear not only how happy the people were about their new light source, but also how urgently it is actually needed there. Walburga and Werner realized that they had the ability to make everyday life a little easier for those living in the community. When we heard about the positive response our Sonnenglas® solar lanterns received, we sent a few more on a journey from Africa, to Rastatt, and finally to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The Hirschs presented them to a board member of the Saptarangi Foundation Nepal, who in turn took them to a village in the Everest area that has been supported by the organization for many years.

(Image) Sonnenglas® lanterns being presented to the Saptarangi Foundation in Nepal / © Hirsch family

For the people living in this village, the new light source is more than just a pretty decoration: it changes their way of living. As Werner Hirsch reported, “some tears of joy flowed” upon receipt of a lantern by a local resident. One of our solar lanterns even made it to the Holy Lakes of Goisainkund, where it now gives light to a family at an altitude of 4300 meters.

(Image) Light brings life to the people of Nepal

With the help of Sonnenglas®, Walburga and Werner Hirsch’s efforts brightened the lives of many individuals living without artificial light, once again showing that our solar lanterns are a small light with a big impact.

Author: Nele Wein

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