About Light Up The World (LUTW)
Description of Need
Light Up The World (LUTW) offers sustainable electricity and internet to off-grid communities in developing countries. Projects are implemented through volunteer partnerships with universities and corporations.
Funding will be used to continue to develop technology that benefits rural communities, sustain new growth initiatives, provide once in a lifetime educational opportunities to young adults in Alberta, drive a specialized team dedicated to relieving energy poverty, and bridging the digital divide.
Our Impact – What We Do
Why energy and connectivity: Energy and connectivity facilitate education, empower economic development, and promotes good health.
Education: LUTW provides unique learning experiences for Alberta students by empowering them to give the gift of electricity and connectivity to an off-grid school in an impoverished community. Alberta students implement an off-grid infrastructure project in a rural community that receives a high quality system that empowers education, better health, and economic development for decades.
Economic Development: A lack of access to electricity means some families spend as much as one third of their monthly income on inefficient lighting solutions such as kerosene, candles and single use batteries. With renewable energy systems that cost much less than burning kerosene on a daily basis, families have more disposable income they can spend on other priorities such as school fees, health care or a small business.
Environment and well-being: Clean energy is an investment in health. The toxic by-products released by burning fuels for light present various health and environmental issues. Fuel sources such as kerosene are a primary source of greenhouse gas emissions. Years of inhaling noxious gases can lead to severe respiratory illness and an open flame in the home increases the threat of fire and burns.
Our Programs – How We Do It
Light Up The World has three pillars: Projects, Training and Education and Social Enterprise.
Projects: LUTW implements projects that provide sustainable energy solutions and lighting to communities without connection to the electrical power grid (off-grid areas). This means we are working to make lighting and energy access in remote communities as inexpensive and sustainable as possible: helping off-grid communities transition away from using unhealthy fuels for light. Since 1997, LUTW has been part of bringing light to homes in off-grid areas in 54 countries. Currently, the organization’s main focus is in Peru and Guatemala.
Training and Education: LUTW strives to serve as a knowledge hub related to battery-based solar PV systems, expanding the understanding of best practices to work with this technology in off-grid rural applications. LUTW facilitates courses ranging from a basic introductory Solar 101 seminar to a progression of technical workshops that empower students to design, install and troubleshoot battery-based PV systems.
Social Enterprise: LUTW empowers other non profit organizations with the same high quality sustainable technology used in LUTW projects. Rural communities receive a high quality LUTW system, hands-on training, and remote monitoring to power their productive use project. This makes their projects more sustainable and resiliant.
Our Requests – What You Can Do
Join the LUTW giving circle!
LUTW’s monthly and one-time donors provide stable funding for reaching the last mile, supporting local technicians, developing new technology, and empowering rural communities.
Join the Empowerment Expedition Program
See the impact for yourself by participating in a LUTW Project! Travel to a rural community, immerse yourself in local culture, and leave behind a high quality infrastructure legacy that will last for decades.
Fundraise!
Becoming an advocate for sustainability and equity is one of the most powerful ways to help LUTW. One person at a time, one community at a time, we can create change. We have always benefited from a dedicated network of volunteers and supporters who not only spread the word, but also host events, raise money, launch awareness campaigns, start groups or clubs dedicated to sustainability, and much more.
