TechOne bringing solar lights to students in need

TechnologyOne has partnered with charitable organisation SolarBuddy, to work towards the technology company's goal of alleviating 500,000 children and their families from poverty.

TechnologyOne CEO Ed Chung says the TechnologyOne Foundation is committed to making a difference to underprivileged and at-risk youths, by empowering them to transform their lives.

"The Foundation's goal is to provide young people with every opportunity to positively impact the future," Chung says.

"We've set an ambitious goal of freeing 500,000 children and their families from poverty, and while TechnologyOne can help with much-needed funding and thousands of volunteering days each year, it's the amazing work of our strategic charity partners that is truly making an impact.

The driving initiative of the TechnologyOne Foundation is the 1% pledge, where the company has committed to donating 1% of time, 1% of profit and 1% of product.

To fulfil the 1% profit pledge, the TechnologyOne Foundation donates 1% of its annual profit to charity partners.

It is through this 1% profit commitment that the Foundation has partnered with SolarBuddy.

SolarBuddy's mission is to help improve the educational opportunities of six million children living in energy poverty by 2030, by providing them with a SolarBuddy solar light to study with after dusk.

Next month, TechnologyOne and SolarBuddy have set a goal to build upon the 900 lights already donated, with an additional 70 lights for children in need at NZ Downstream, New Zealand's premier event for the downstream energy sector.

The partners will take their programme on the road to build another 70 lights at UDIA National Developer Congress on Queensland's Gold Coast at the end of March.

"The gift of a SolarBuddy solar light helps children living in energy poverty to continue studying long after the sun goes down improving their educational outcomes and overall health and wellbeing," says SolarBuddy CEO and founder Simon Doble.

"Children also spend less time collecting firewood for cooking and heating and instead spend more time attending class, preparing for exams and completing homework assignments. Early stage evaluations indicate that a child with access to a solar light will study 78% longer each day.

"This key partnership will empower and educate the next generation towards a more sustainable and energy efficient future, whilst giving the gift of light to children living in energy poverty," Doble adds.