Philips provides solar-lit Light Centre for SU soccer field

© Ramona Heim – za.fotolia.com

Philips is currently installing more than a hundred Community Light Centres across Africa with seven already in place in South Africa, including the new centre at the Stellenbosch University.

Speaking at the opening of the solar-lit soccer field at the Stellenbosch University, general manager for Philips Solar Africa, Mark Koerner, said Africa was starting a new reliable solar-powered LED lighting revolution which will both save energy and provide more light for those without electricity across the continent.

Extending the day

The Community Light Centres are areas of approximately 1,000m², or the size of a small soccer pitch, which are lit using a new generation of very efficient solar powered LED lighting. The idea is to create areas of light for communities which live without electricity thus effectively 'extending the day' and creating numerous opportunities for social, sporting and economic activities in the evening.

These Light Centres cost approximately R200,000 and will enable the university to enjoy games of soccer in the evenings as well as strengthen their soccer programme.

The new Philips Community Light Centre at the Stellenbosch University forms part of the KNVB World Coaches programme that trains coaches and builds soccer fields as a legacy of the World Cup in South Africa and forms part of Philips Light Centre campaign which focuses on enabling life in the evening.

Giving back

Philips has captured its passion of lighting Africa through Africa's love of soccer and by giving back to the university and athletes to develop and grow. Soccer is a universal language which inspires passion and enthusiasm across the world. It can be used to coach young people in life skills and its top stars are icons who have great global influence.

The enablement of soccer in the evenings is a way of demonstrating solar technology and it was a mutual appreciation of this idea that led to the partnership with Philips and the KNVB.

Johan van Geijn, coordinator for International CSR Projects for World Coaches, says the cooperation with Philips on Solar Lighting Centres enables the World Coaches programme to have a far better impact on local communities and allows the programme to reach more rural communities as soccer and life skills education become an evening activity.