In the aftermath of the devastating landfall of Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017, close to half a million Puerto Ricans are still without power, threatening their livelihoods on a daily basis.
Many locals continue to take matters into their own hands and mobilize forces to restore electricity in the absence of a functioning infrastructure. They are employing their deep-seated resourcefulness, innovation, and their audacious courage to dig up power lines and cobble together micro-electric grids in their rural communities.
But even in these harsh and remote areas, the people of Puerto Rico are not without hope or help. Hundreds of NGOs from North America and other parts of the world are providing aid on a daily basis to supplement the deficits of a fractured and crippled government supply chain. These groups traverse dense, tropical and often dangerous terrain to deliver services and goods to our neighbors.
One of those organizations, the Christian Disaster Response, partnered with us through Amurtel USA, our neighbors in Warren, Vermont, to deliver nine pallets - or over four thousand - of our Rechargeable ReadyLight Solar Powered Flashlights to the hardest hit areas.
Our Verilux family knows the value of light to everyday well being, and we are most concerned with being of immediate use. After all, as any consumer product company knows, our products are our currency, and they belong in the hands and homes of the folks who need them most.
Our work with our partners connected our purpose to thousands who are now able to move more freely and safely in their areas. Puerto Ricans are using our flashlights to navigate pitch-black roads and jungle paths throughout their regions. They use them during school to continue education. And they deploy them in medical relief shelters to administer medications and first aid procedures, among many other uses. Our Verilux team might be small, but we believe in making a significant impact.
We also believe that even in the darkest times, the smallest rays of light can go a long way toward sustaining mental and physical health. Improving the quality of life during a very bleak time is a boon to the enduring spirit of Puerto Ricans.
And we couldn’t be happier with it.
To help Amurtel continue making meaningful differences in Puerto Rico, donate here.
Photo credits: Amurtel & the Christian Disaster Relief
