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Dr. Wijaya Godakumbura
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Kerosene lamps are still used widely in millions of homes in developing countries, sometimes with disastrous consequences due to fire. Godakumbura, a Sri Lankan surgeon, has witnessed the horrific burns and sometimes tragic deaths of the less fortunate of his country's adults and children alike. In his work, he has discovered that the toppling of unsafe homemade bottle lamps causes approximately 30% of the burn injuries in his country. Because the bottles are often tall, thin and round in shape, they can tip and roll easily spilling flammable oil, which quickly ignites a person's clothing causing extensive burn injuries. In his efforts to prevent further suffering, Dr. Godakumbura has developed a 'safe lamp' that is short and heavy, has two flat sides and a screw-on metal lid, to prevent lamps from tipping and oil from spilling. Also key to the lamp's success is its simple, inexpensive design that can be mass-produced at low cost. Foundation funding will assist in an extensive awareness campaign to promote the use of this lamp. |
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Godakumbura, Wijaya