Hunter Sports High students help keep the lights on in PNG

Applied learning: Hunter Sports High students used their STEM skills and knowledge to construct solar lights.

Hunter Sports High School students have put their role as global citizens into action by building solar powered lights for children living in energy poverty in Papua New Guinea.

The Year 8 students applied their STEM skills and knowledge to construct solar lights to add to more than 130,000 already distributed through the SolarBuddy program.

Only 6.3 percent of the rural population in Papua New Guinea has access to grid electricity. This,in turn, impacts the education opportunities of children, making them unable to break the cycle of poverty.

"With the help of volunteers from the Origin Energy Foundation, our students have been given an innovative learning opportunity to build solar lights for children in Papua New Guinea who don't have access to electricity," Hunter Sports High School Principal Rachel Byrne said.

Opportunity: Only 6.3 percent of the rural population in Papua New Guinea has access to grid electricity.

"These SolarBuddy lights will help children living in energy poverty to continue studying long after the sun goes down improving their education outcomes and overall health and wellbeing.

"One of our students from Papua New Guinea who was involved in the activity last year was quite emotional that he could give back to his culture. We're so pleased to be able to offer an activity that is so authentic and engaging to our students while helping them to develop empathy and introduce them to STEM in a compelling way."

Origin Energy Foundation volunteering program manager Ruth Lee saidOrigin volunteers found it rewarding to see students applying their STEM skills and knowledge to renewable energy technologies that can make a real difference to energy poverty.

"We are pleased to support Hunter Sports High School students and help inspire more young people to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering or maths," she said.

"With the introduction of SolarBuddy lights, children in PNG are studying 78 percent longer and reliance on kerosene and other dangerous fuels has been reduced by 80 percent.

"Since these fuels are also the single biggest expenditure for households, that money can now be spent on food and health and education."