Panasonic HD donated 400 solar lanterns to areas without electricity in Nepal through the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

Osaka, Japan, June 30, 2025 – Panasonic Holdings Corporation Co., Ltd. (Panasonic HD), donated 400 solar lanterns in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to vulnerable households living in areas without electricity in the municipality of Chandragiri and the rural municipality of Rajpur in Nepal.

On June 18, 2025, a donation ceremony was held in the municipality of Chandragiri in the district of Kathmandu. Local residents, Chandragiri municipal government officials, and representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Nepal, UN-Habitat, and Panasonic HD attended the ceremony.

The areas where the donations were made are home to many socially disadvantaged people, including those who live in precarious living conditions, as a result of the effects of the former caste system. In addition to an unreliable power supply, economic hardship prevents most households in this region from using electricity sufficiently, which hinders daily life.

As a result, they are forced to rely on traditional means of lighting such as kerosene lamps, firewood and candles, which creates a variety of challenges, including indoor air pollution, increased living costs, fire risks and even lost educational opportunities.

The following effects are expected from these donations:

• Improvement of the indoor air environment by reducing kerosene use.
• Reducing fuel costs and the economic burden.
• Reducing fuel procurement time and costs.
• Securing home study time for children.

Since 2013, Panasonic HD has been involved in activities to support areas lacking electricity, which makes it difficult for people to escape poverty. Since 2021, these activities have been conducted under the name “LIGHT UP THE FUTURE,” a project which aims to illuminate the future of these areas. To date, Panasonic HD has partnered with various organizations, including NGOs and NPOs, to deliver more than 120,000 solar lanterns to people in over 36 countries and regions.

Panasonic HD will continue collaborating with various partners on these initiatives to create opportunities in education, health, and increased income, working toward a sustainable, poverty-free society.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is a United Nations agency established in 1978 with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, to address issues related to urbanization and human settlements. With the mission of “A better quality of life for all in an urbanizing world,” UN-Habitat works globally through policy advice, technical assistance, and collaborative action with national governments, local governments, civil society organizations, and private sectors particularly towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Established in 1997, the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is in Fukuoka, as the regional headquarters overseeing 42 countries. The Fukuoka Office operates in 15 countries and implements 90 projects across 18 countries and regions, promoting extensive international cooperation throughout the region.

The donation of solar lanterns is part of the environmental technology cooperation projects implemented by UN-Habitat.