197:) is a non-profit social enterprise that provides technology solutions for off-grid learning. The organization designs, manufactures and distributes solar and wind-up media players and radios for classroom and group listening and was behind the first solar and wind-up radio for humanitarian use which launched in 2003. Since it began operations in 1999 more than 550,000 wind-up and solar powered radios and media players have been distributed, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of listeners have been reached, as classrooms of up to 60 children or listening groups can use each radio or media player.
347:, specifically how it relates to lighting and energy access, in remote areas throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Research was conducted in rural and peri-urban slum areas of South Africa to determine how much child and grandmother-headed families spent on candles and kerosene for lighting per month. The research involved looking at the types of tasks and activities that were used for lighting and the consequences people experienced as a result of their not having any access to electricity.
25:
321:
The
Lifeplayer was created and developed by Lifeline Energy and Lifeline Technologies. Its approach to new product development is end-user focused and based on field feedback. The development funding was raised through private donations. Supporters of the Lifeplayer include James Kimonyo - Rwanda's
317:
In 2011, the
Lifeplayer MP3 was launched in a project for farmers in Rwanda, in partnership with the multinational giant SC Johnson and a US-based NGO, Radio Lifeline. The initiative disseminated information on modern farming techniques, market information and health news to Rwandan pyrethrum farmers
261:
Over the years
Lifeline Energy has implemented information and education projects using solar and wind-up radios in more than a dozen countries in sub-Saharan Africa. These include Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Niger, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Burundi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Sudan and
251:
The
Freeplay Foundation was legally established in late 1998 by Rory Stear, the co-founder of Freeplay Energy Group. Freeplay Energy, which by then was a public company, was sold in July 2008 to Delhi-based businessman Devin Narang. Rory Stear – along with all other directors - resigned from Freeplay
477:
In 2005, Kristine
Pearson was awarded the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award at the Technology Museum of Innovation’s annual event. The president of Applied Materials at the Museum stated that "Kristine Pearson's broad vision and leadership, coupled with Freeplay's innovative technology, its
368:
Since 2007 Lifeline Energy has distributed more than 1,100 solar and wind-up radios in the Dadaab refugee camps and nearby host communities, benefitting more than 15,000 Somali women directly. The radios provide access to programming on women’s rights, health and controversial issues such as female
355:
Since 2000 Lifeline Energy has been helping to provide education access to vulnerable children taking part in the
Learning at Taonga Market radio distance education initiative in Zambia. The programme offers a high quality primary school education to children who are unable to access government-run
204:
US charity and a
Section 18A and 21 South African public benefit organisation, and relies on contributions from individuals, family foundations, corporate funding and government-sponsored programmes. It collaborates with governments, international relief organizations and in-country NGO partners to
404:
charity auction in which ten
Lifeline radios autographed by Hanks were available. In addition to the radio, the highest bidder also received a personal letter and a signed photo from Hanks. During the campaign, Hanks stated that "The Lifeline radio can change the world – one person, one house, one
205:
implement education and information projects. In 2009, it established
Lifeline Technologies Trading Ltd, a for-profit new product development and trading arm that designs and develops the products that Lifeline Energy uses in its projects. This is a relatively unique hybrid business structure with
334:
The Prime radio improves on its predecessor, the
Lifeline. In 2001, the Lifeline radio concept won the first Tech Museum of Innovation Award for Technology Benefiting Humanity for Lifeline Energy, in the education category. During the development the organisation arranged focus groups of orphaned
313:
The Lifeplayer MP3 was launched to the media in September 2010. It was the world’s first MP3, 5-band radio and recorder designed specifically for humanitarian use and group listening. Solar-powered and wind-up, it was designed to give large groups of up to 50 people sustainable listening access.
359:
Learning at Taonga Market is entirely free and has had a profound effect on orphaned children, who are often left out of Zambia’s education system. The informal classrooms are run by community volunteers who use Lifeline Energy’s solar and wind-up radios and Lifeplayers to access the daily radio
304:
Lifeline Energy is technology agnostic and focused on finding appropriate ways to improve the lives of those it aims to assist. It seeks technology solutions to meet these challenges – whether high or low tech. As with its Lifeplayer MP3, Lifeline Energy encapsulates known technologies (solar,
330:
The Prime radio replaced the Lifeline radio - the first solar and wind-up radio made exclusively for the humanitarian sector and which Lifeline Energy and Kristine Pearson innovated. Prime radios can reach up to 60 listeners and has five bands – AM, FM and three short-wave bandwidths. It also
478:
creative application and the potential for replication in other countries, is changing millions of lives and solving critical challenges facing global society. It is fitting that Kristine receive this prestigious award for her outstanding work in South Africa and around the world."
318:
via MP3 podcasts and a monthly nationwide FM radio programme. Since then, it has been used in a number of initiatives, including school lessons for children, health information for women's listening groups, and conservation and farming skills for farmers.
360:
broadcasts. Children taking part in Taonga Market performed better than conventional schools in reading, numeracy and life skills. Taonga Market students are also more likely to continue to secondary school than children in government-run schools.
305:
battery, audio, radio, MP3) in products that are developed to meet the challenges of the environment and social contexts of their use. Products must be robust, intuitive in their function and sustainable, even for the least sophisticated users.
369:
genital cutting. The radios also provide access to daily broadcasts on where refugees can attain food aid, how new refugees can register and where to locate lost relatives who have also travelled to the camps from neighboring countries.
331:
features an LCD screen, a solar panel, a hand crank, and a DC input that can be plugged into either a wall socket or a car battery. The solar panels can charge the radio directly through a cable or can charge wirelessly.
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417:(CBE) has served as the organisations European Ambassador since 2000. Waite recently stepped down as chairman of Lifeline Energy's UK Board of Trustees after nine years of service, but remains a patron.
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217:, a UK newspaper, selected Lifeline Energy (then known as Freeplay Foundation) as a beneficiary for its 2005/2006 Christmas Charity Appeal. The organization was also awarded the first annual
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Lifeline Energy runs under the direction of chief executive officer, Kristine Pearson. She has held this position since January 1999 when the charity became operational.
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The radios have also helped educate children. Using Lifeline Energy’s radios, children are able to access radio-based primary education lessons in Somali.
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In April 2010, Lifeline Energy’s 'Coffee Lifeline Project' was awarded the 'Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) 2010 Sustainability Award.
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children in South Africa, Kenya and Rwanda. The focus group findings determined that the radio needed to be a bright colour, easy to carry and robust.
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The Lifeplayer MP3 was awarded a top prize in the inaugural SAB Foundation Innovation awards in 2011 and was also chosen as a finalist in the
433:, being the first black African to trek there. He stated "I thought if I can get a radio for every kilometre I walk that would be awesome."
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has served as Lifeline Energy's American ambassador. He supports a range of projects including Lifeline radios for distance education in
824:
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Listening content is pre-loaded on a microSD card, and the Lifeplayer can record live voice or radio programmes for playback later.
108:
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schools. Since the Zambian Ministry of Education launched it, close to 800,000 children have obtained a basic primary education.
42:
429:, is Lifeline Energy's African Ambassador. Vilane fundraised for Lifeline radios by walking 1,113 kilometers (692 miles) to the
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In December 2011 Lifeline Energy and its Lifeplayer MP3 won a top prize in the inaugural SAB Foundation Innovation Awards.
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In 2002 Freeplay Foundation won The Partnership for Sustainable Cities Award, which was presented by the King of Sweden.
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selected Freeplay Foundation (now Lifeline Energy) as a beneficiary for its Christmas Charity Appeal for 2005/2006.
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Award. The Freeplay Foundation was awarded a grant of $ 50,000 which was used to develop the Lifeline radio.
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Lifeline Energy’s work has been featured in the Fast Company, Forbes.com, Time and the World Bank Blog.
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In June 2011 the Lifeplayer MP3 was chosen as a finalist for the INDEX: Design to Improve Life award.
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produced two programmes for the Freeplay Foundation which featured the Foundation’s work in
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Lifeline Energy’s current on-going projects include a radio distance education programme in
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In 2003, Kristine Pearson was a finalist for Wharton-Infosys Business Transformation Award.
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Since its inception, Lifeline Energy has undertaken in-depth research into the effects of
1040:"SCU, Tech Museum of Innovation, Applied Materials Honor Humanitarian Side of Technology"
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397:. Hanks also is the primary funder behind the research and development of Lifelight.
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and providing information and education access to Somali women refugees in Kenya’s
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Kristine Pearson is a fellow of the Schwab Foundation of the World Economic Forum
780:"Tom Hanks-Funded Solar Digital Lifeplayer Radio Offering Link To Outside World"
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On 8 April 2010 the Freeplay Foundation changed its name to Lifeline Energy.
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in the education category in 2001 and won the Energy Project award in the
765:"SC Johnson Introduces New Radio Technology to Remote Rwanda Communities"
390:
445:
In 2011 the Lifeplayer MP3 was an INDEX: Design to Improve Life finalist
993:"Kristine Pearson to Receive James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award"
575:"Lifeplayer MP3 Wins A Top Prize in SAB Foundation Innovations Awards"
821:"Tom Hanks, Lifeline Energy Donate Radios to EDC Project in Tanzania"
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A documentary featuring the Foundation’s Guns-for-Radios project in
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Ambassador to the U.S. - as well as Academy Award winner Tom Hanks.
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823:. Education Development Center, Inc. 31 May 2005. Archived from
669:"Kristine Pearson on the Founding and Future of Lifeline Energy"
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286:
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548:"Freeplay Foundation Wins Technology Benefiting Humanity Award"
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In 2014 the Lifeplayer MP3 featured in the Sustainia 100 Awards
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18:
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In 2006, the Foundation was an Energy Project winner at the
848:"Lifelights Aims To Light Up Orphaned Households in Rwanda"
743:"Lifeplayer, the MP3 Radio for the World's Most Forgotten"
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Information and Education Access in Dadaab Refugee Camps
642:"People Need More Than Just Food And Water in a Crisis"
351:
Zambia’s Learning at Taonga Market Education Initiative
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Jacob, Claire, Jackson, and Evan (6 September 2008).
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Information and communication technologies in Africa
293:. Gordon Roddick, co-founder and former chairman of
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49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1177:Development charities based in the United Kingdom
490:awarded the Freeplay Foundation the first annual
285:, CARE, Vodacom, the Founders and Supporters of
869:"Tom Hanks Helps Africa with Lifeline Radios"
717:"Radio gives a lifeline to Africa's children"
515:'s Inside Africa and Principle Voices series.
8:
1083:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
297:International plc said in an interview with
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511:The work of the charity has been shown on
425:Two time Everest conqueror, South African
122:
1042:. Santa Clara University. 2 November 2001
623:"Provide an education to a Zambian child"
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
457:Kristine Pearson was selected as one of
1099:"BBC Earth Report- Freeplay Foundation"
539:
1076:
461:'s Heroes of the Environment for 2007.
7:
1167:Appropriate technology organizations
945:"Development Marketplace Newsletter"
413:World-renowned British humanitarian
339:Energy poverty and lighting research
223:World Bank’s Development Marketplace
47:adding citations to reliable sources
1147:1998 establishments in South Africa
803:"Lifeline Energy's New Prime radio"
230:INDEX: Design to Improve Life award
209:s profits accruing to the charity.
967:"The World is just a Twiddle Away"
890:Whitehead, Hilary (1 April 2008).
715:Martin Waller (26 December 2005).
14:
1142:Organizations established in 1998
1063:"Rory Stear and Kristine Pearson"
995:. 3 November 2005. Archived from
913:Lindow, Megan (24 October 2007).
625:. Lifeline Energy. Archived from
525:was shown on the Arte Channel in
385:Since 2003, Academy Award winner
1152:Organisations based in Cape Town
846:K J Mullins (30 December 2008).
23:
219:Tech Museum of Innovation Award
34:needs additional citations for
1:
1162:Poverty-related organizations
693:Pam Lambert (19 April 2004).
488:The Tech Museum of Innovation
915:"Heroes of the Environment"
892:"Walking to the South Pole"
468:'s Development Marketplace.
287:International Tom Hanks Day
1193:
1019:"2005 Global Humanitarian"
492:Tech Museum of Innovation
400:Hanks participated in an
1157:501(c)(3) organizations
148:Cape Town, South Africa
437:Awards and recognition
252:Energy Group in 2008.
265:Donors have included
200:Lifeline Energy is a
629:on 10 February 2013.
405:village at a time."
207:Lifeline Technology'
43:improve this article
741:Nerenberg, Jenara.
195:Freeplay Foundation
125:
973:. 29 December 2005
925:on 21 October 2007
809:on 24 August 2012.
554:on 6 December 2010
309:The Lifeplayer MP3
267:Anglo American PLC
232:in the same year.
154:Official language
871:. 23 January 2008
827:on 2 January 2013
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58:"Lifeline Energy"
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601:"Lifeplayer"
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583:. Retrieved
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41:Please help
36:verification
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16:Organization
415:Terry Waite
409:Terry Waite
376:Ambassadors
202:501 (c) (3)
1136:Categories
853:11 January
831:11 January
782:. Ecorazzi
726:11 January
700:11 January
652:11 January
606:11 January
585:11 January
558:11 January
534:References
466:World Bank
431:South Pole
291:World Bank
193:(formerly
140:Non-profit
69:newspapers
1065:. My Hero
971:The Times
721:The Times
472:The Times
387:Tom Hanks
381:Tom Hanks
326:The Prime
299:The Times
225:in 2006.
214:The Times
129:Formation
1079:cite web
678:15 April
391:Tanzania
289:and the
99:May 2020
1104:30 June
1069:30 June
1046:30 June
1024:30 June
1003:7 April
977:30 June
951:30 June
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898:30 June
875:30 June
262:Sudan.
247:History
243:camps.
173:Website
158:English
83:scholar
673:Forbes
527:Europe
506:Rwanda
395:Rwanda
283:NASDAQ
241:Dadaab
237:Zambia
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894:. CNN
523:Niger
90:JSTOR
76:books
1106:2009
1085:link
1071:2009
1048:2009
1026:2009
1005:2010
979:2009
953:2009
931:2009
919:Time
900:2009
877:2009
855:2013
833:2013
788:2010
751:2010
728:2013
702:2013
680:2016
654:2013
608:2013
587:2013
560:2013
500:The
402:eBay
279:Asda
182:.org
137:Type
132:1998
62:news
513:CNN
502:BBC
178:www
164:CEO
45:by
1138::
1081:}}
1077:{{
969:.
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281:,
273:,
269:,
1108:.
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