Mission, Goals, and Impact
Related to Poverty Alleviation
The main mission of Liter of Light in the Philippines is to provide
sustainable and affordable lighting solutions to communities
without access to electricity. They achieve this by using plastic
bottles, water, and bleach to create solar lamps that emit light
during the day. This initiative has a significant impact on
poverty alleviation by improving living conditions, enabling
longer study and work hours, reducing reliance on expensive
and harmful sources of light, and fostering economic
opportunities through skill development and employment in the
production and installation of these solar lamps.
Beneficiaries'
Profiles
Illac Diaz and his NGO Liter of Light has already
helped over 382,000 Filipinos, and 690,000 people
throughout the world to get out of energy poverty.
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.
The village of Rizal, less than two hours north of
Metro Manila, in the Philipines, is one of the
beneficiaries of Liter of Light’s solutions.
Within 20 months of its inception, Liter of Light had
become a global movement benefiting more than
150,000 households in the Philippines, and 350,000
homes in 15 countries.
Recycled plastic bottles filled with water and a bit of
bleach are fitted into the roof to provide lighting
during the day and can be upgraded with an LED
bulb, micro-solar panels and a battery to provide a
low cost night lighting system.
Impact
Assessment
The main mission of Liter of Light in the Philippines is to provide
sustainable and affordable lighting solutions to communities without
access to electricity. They achieve this by using plastic bottles, water,
and bleach to create solar lamps that emit light during the day. This
initiative has a significant impact on poverty alleviation by improving
living conditions, enabling longer study and work hours, reducing
reliance on expensive and harmful sources of light, and fostering
economic opportunities through skill development and employment in
the production and installation of these solar lamps.
Testimonials of a community in Cebu City. This community once
had completely dark toilets, rooms and alleys that did not have a
single source of light. Using a simple concept like the bottle light
suddenly seemed ingenious, with the help of Liter of Light.
Before and after pictures showing the
effectiveness of the solar powered bottle lights.
This particular room had two lights installed.
Comparison
and
Evaluation
The two approaches Litter of
Light use to address poverty
are Employment and Training
and Access to Education.
One approach Liter of Light takes is to provide training
and employment opportunities to local community
members. They teach people how to create solarpowered LED lamps using simple and easily available
materials.
Liter of Light also recognizes that access to education is
a crucial factor in poverty alleviation. They install solar
lamps in schools and community centers, enabling
students to study and learn even after dark.
Both of these approaches not only address the
immediate issue of lack of lighting but also have a
positive impact on poverty reduction by fostering
economic empowerment and educational
development within communities.
Recommendations
Liter of Light provides enough initial supplies and volunteers to generate interest and
encourage local manufacturing of the solar bottle bulbs to create job opportunities
within the communities. This approach aligns with the goal of establishing green
microbusinesses.
By embracing social media and the philosophy of open-source
technology to its fullest potential, it can be used to raise
awareness about the project and its impact. Share success
stories, videos, and tutorials to inspire others.
By implementing these recommendations, the project can
continue to make a positive impact on urban poor communities
worldwide and contribute to the broader goal of sustainable,
affordable, and environmentally friendly lighting solutions.