Aussie skippers shine a light on energy poverty

Shaun Martyn hopes he doesn't have to give out too many more of the 500 portable solar lights remaining in his garage.

It's not that he's hording them.

Martyn has helped distribute SolarBuddy lights (small renewable energy powered units invented by Brisbane man Simon Doble four years ago) in India where millions are plunged into darkness every night.

When bushfires ripped through New South Wales' south coast last summer, Narooma local Martyn saw the crippling effect of energy poverty in his own backyard.

He helped get 5,000 of the devices to people in towns between Bega and Nowra who had lost power.

"Lights are still going out now because believe it or not there are still people who need them," said Martyn, founder of Fairbreak Global.

In most cases homes will be rebuilt and power restored for those affected by the devastating fires in Australia, meaning the lights in Martyn's garage can hopefully remain on standby this summer.

But for many on the subcontinent, energy poverty is permanent.

Through Martyn, Sydney Sixers coach Greg Shipperd learnt of the millions of Indians who die each year from breathing in fumes from kerosene lamps or heaters.

"Women and children under 14 in particular are affected, and end up with the lungs of 20-a-day smokers," said Martyn.

Out of their conversation, the 'Captain's Cause' was born.

"As my mind does, it tends to wander and I was thinking about how we could use our platforms to support that cause," Shipperd told cricket.com.au.  "That was the start of the process.

Shipperd spoke to Australia's national men's captains Tim Paine and Aaron Finch, whom he has previously coached at Tasmania and Victoria respectively, as well as Meg Lanning, who all agreed to support the cause.

Dan Christian and Ashleigh Gardner, skippers of Australia's men's and women's Indigenous teams, have also signed up.

Martyn and Shipperd could hardly be accused of not dreaming big.

They want Virat Kohli to lend his support too while he is in Australia this summer.

Shipperd hopes Finch might have a word to the Indian captain while they play in the ongoing Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"When I talked to Finchy, I said, ‘You're going to be sharing a dressing room with the guy who is the big fish, in terms of someone who has the biggest impact in his own country'," said Shipperd.

"Our captains have the biggest platform in cricket and across the cricket world and are exposed to millions, and in India, billions of people. Them supporting it gives it strength and gives it visibility.

"I applaud them and I hope it becomes a bigger and broader program as we engage the other international cricket captains around the world, both male and female."

Their aim is to get as many national captains around the world to join the initiative, raising money for the SolarBuddy charity to help children living in energy poverty by providing them with solar lights.

SolarBuddy lights are also assembled by Australian children as part of a schools program and in some instances it sets up a pen-pal relationship with the recipient.

"It's a good way our youth to understand that most of them are growing up in a pretty comfortable society compared to others," said Shipperd.

"For them to be aware that there are others who are not it is really important."

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