Fundraiser Aims to Bring Solar Power to Peruvian Fishing Village Ahead of El Niño

The fundraiser comes in response to warnings from scientists that this year’s El Niño could be one of the most extreme in recent memory. In past El Niño events, heavy rains and flooding have caused roads to wash out, power to be cut, and families to be left isolated, often relying on candles that have caused house fires during emergencies, organizers said (1). [1]

Funds raised from the event will be used to provide solar lights for every household in Lobitos, solar power banks to help families charge phones and stay connected, and emergency lanterns for the town’s clinic, school, pharmacy, and food-distribution points. The campaign is led by girls and young women in Coast 2 Coast’s Women & Water program, which combines surfing, science, and storytelling toward gender equity (1). [1]

Participants will educate their neighbors about the solar equipment, help distribute it, and document El Niño’s impact on their community through photojournalism. The event is free to attend, and donations can be made online through the campaign’s website (1). [1]

Unite to Light, a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit focused on bringing electricity to underserved communities, and Coast 2 Coast, a Peruvian nonprofit promoting youth development, are hosting a fundraiser called Light Up Lobitos on Thursday, Nov. 19 at Topa Topa Brewing Co. (Source ID: 1). The event aims to raise $15,000 to provide solar lights for every household in Lobitos, a fishing village on Peru’s northern coast with about 1,200 residents. Scientists have warned that this year’s El Niño could be one of the most extreme in recent memory, with past events causing heavy rains, flooding, and power outages that have left families isolated and reliant on candles, which have caused house fires during emergencies (Source ID: 1). [1]

The fundraiser will also provide solar power banks to help families charge phones and stay connected, as well as emergency lanterns for the town’s clinic, school, pharmacy, and food-distribution points. The campaign is led by girls and young women in Coast 2 Coast’s Women & Water program, which combines surfing, science, and storytelling toward gender equity. These young women will educate their neighbors about the solar equipment, help distribute it, and document El Niño’s impact on their community through photojournalism (Source ID: 1). [1]

Megan Birney Rudert, president/CEO of Unite to Light, emphasized the importance of preparing for potential disruptions before El Niño arrives, stating that solar light and power are essential tools for safety, resilience, and opportunity. Emi Koch of Coast 2 Coast noted that Lobitos has experienced the challenges of being cut off during past El Niño events, and the introduction of solar lights and power banks could change the experience this time (Source ID: 1). [1]

Sources

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Prepared with AI assistance from the cited sources.