LG has donated 20 solar powered refrigerators to be used in impoverished communities in Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania and Peru.
World Vision Kenya will use the solar refrigerators to improve immunization coverage in Kenya’s West Pokot County.
West Pokot County has a population of around 500,000 and a poverty rate of 69%. The immunisation rate for West Pokot County is currently just 56 percent. The region experiences a high infant mortality and death rate for children under the age of five; with many of these deaths due to preventable diseases.
Most vaccines must be kept cool – between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius – a difficult task in the region given the local climate and poor access to reliable power. As much as 5% of vaccines may be wasted during a vaccination campaign due to temperature control issues. If five out of every hundred doses is discarded, this can translate to the loss of five lives.
The National Tambos Program in Peru will use the units to help serve those living in remote mountain villages with no access to a local power grid.
The solar refrigerator systems consists of a high efficiency LG refrigerator, solar panels, controllers and a battery so that the refrigerators can continue running at night and in cloudy weather. LG says the refrigerators feature a Smart Inverter Compressor; which is 36 percent more energy efficient than conventional models equipped with non-inverter compressor. The fridges can also tolerate voltage variations, helping protect the units from unpredictable high-voltage streams or power surges.
“LG is committed to using its innovative technology to help improve the lives of vulnerable children and communities around the world,” said Young-il Park, head of the refrigerator business unit at LG. “At LG, we believe that giving back to our communities is what defines a true global citizen.”
LG Electronics has a significant corporate social responsibility program and was the first Korean corporation in the electronics industry to join the UN Global Compact; which consists of ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
