Access to affordable lighting for all thanks to a simple do-it-yourself solution
Liter of Light is a decentralized network that develops self-assembly kits for solar lamps with the help of volunteers and partnerships with companies and municipalities. The initiative was initially aimed at people living in slums, where corrugated iron huts stand close together, with no daylight entering the interior.
The solution developed by Litro de Luz is amazingly simple, and virtually free:
A 1.5 liter PET bottle is filled with water and a small shot of bleach, then installed in the roof of the hut so that half of the bottle sticks out the top. The water in the bottle now diffuses daylight throughout the space below the bottle. The luminosity is equivalent to a 55 watt light bulb. The bleach prevents the growth of bacteria and algae and keeps the water in the bottle clear for several years. The bottle is then glued into the roof with a special adhesive and simultaneously sealed to make it watertight.
Meanwhile, many regional chapters are going further and developing simple solar lamps that provide light even after the sun goes down, thanks to LED lamps, a small solar panel and rechargeable battery. In many cases, the tried and tested PET bottles are also used here, for example as street lanterns.
According to the Brazilian chapter, more than one million daylight lamps have been built so far and around 25,000 LED lamps.
The initiative is largely self-organizing, with now 15 (or more) regional country groups. It originated as part of the Myshelter Foundation’s Global Lighting Project in the Philippines.
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Liter of Light’s Contribution to the 17 Global Goals
No Poverty
Improved livelihoods in slums without extra costs.
Responsible consumption and production
Upcycling and resource-saving production of lamps with simple tools.
Partnerships for the Goals
Creating connections between volunteers, sponsors and people on the margins of society.
Affordable and Clean Energy
Making lamps using stored sunlight or other simple upcycling applications.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Improvement of infrastructure in slums, especially through lighting of paths and living space.
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