Unesco Green Citizens

Liter of Light

Project begin: 30/11/2013

Anyone can become a solar engineer! With simple technology, Liter of Light brings high quality solar lighting to people with limited or no access to electricity.

Leading organisation: MyShelter Foundation, Inc.

Covered Countries: Philippines, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Italy, Senegal, Kenya, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia

Theme: Education for Sustainable Development

Sub-themes: Climate change, Energy, Gender equality and women's empowerment, Knowledge sharing, Natural disasters risk reduction

Tag: #Women #Youth

Selection: 2022

Contact the project owner

Project needs

Communication strategy design

Crowdfunding

Digital communication

Monitoring and evaluation

Partnerships development

Social Media

Sponsorship/ Philanthropy

Web design

Discover

Children behind a street lamp installed and recycled by Liter of Light

A man underneath a street lamp made from plastic bottles

Community members hold lights made from recycled bottles

Sustainable street lamps light up the street

A young man with his recycled solar light creation

Liter of Light was born in the Philippines in 2013 after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the country by setting up emergency street lighting systems built within the community, using locally available parts.

This grassroots movement has spread to 32 countries, involving 2,800 young volunteers from around the world. Liter of Light is rethinking solar lighting for the developing world, using inexpensive and readily available materials. The technology is simple and creates local jobs, teaches green skills and empowers energy-poor communities.

A model based on technology and skills transfer

Liter of Light teaches climate-vulnerable and energy-poor communities how to build their own solar lights, mobile charging systems, and street lights using parts that they can find locally. Corporate partners who work with Liter of Light as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility work, lending their time and talent to help build lights for these communities.

The model focuses on transferring the knowledge and skills to the local community that they will need to sustain their lights and micro-enterprises after the organisation leave.

Local cooperatives, especially women’s cooperatives, are involved in manufacturing and training. The open source technology is also being passed on via the internet and social media to enable people to deploy the solution in their communities.

The impact is significant in many ways. Safety, by avoiding fires and the inhalation of toxic fumes from kerosene lamps. The environment, by reusing plastic bottles, reducing carbon emissions.

Do you want to help spread this movement?

Literoflight.org