Notes from the Field

One surprising result of access to safe lighting is its positive impact on women and girls. Women using LuminAID solar lanterns reported increased feelings of safety at night. Access to solar light reduces manual labor that particularly affects girls and women, allows female artisans to work comfortably and safely, and reduces dangerous household fumes produced by fuel-based lighting sources.Safe light helps free up women’s time for education activities and allows them to pursue studying even after dark.

LuminAID partnered with Latina Girls Code's to provide LuminAID lanterns to their STEM day. Latina Girls Code aims to help young minority girls gain exposure to STEM careers through solar technology, engineering, astronomy, and 3-D printing in order to empower them to pursue a career path in the field of STEM.

The Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation aims to alleviate socioeconomic problems facing the indigenous people on the Cabecar Indigenous Reserve in Costa Rica through economical and creative means. LuminAID was able to give 20 lights to the foundation for distribution at the reserve to alleviate problems associated with not having a source of light throughout the night.

After a devastating hurricane season, LuminAID partnered with local Chicago organizations to get more safe light to those in need. Through the Chicago4PR campaign, Chicagoans came together to raise solar lanterns for families without power in Puerto Rico. Thanks to the generosity of LuminAID supporters and Chicago organizations, more than 10,000 solar lanterns were pledged for disaster relief in Puerto Rico.

As one of the outer islands of the Caribbean, the island of Dominica was right within the path of destruction of Hurricane Maria this year. 95% of buildings on the island were damaged or destroyed, leaving electricity scarce and families struggling to rebuild. Randy Hannan, Managing Director of the Trafalgar Relief and Reconstruction Fund, shares how safe and reliable light makes a difference in a community struggling to rebuild:

Even among the highest peaks, a LuminAID ambassador finds a way to share light. This story comes from mountain-climber Sunny, who recently embarked on an all-female climb in the Himalaya. On the way, her team was able to distribute safe solar lights to families in high remote mountain villages, with fire stoves as their only light source. Read more about the monk, the elderly farmers, young widow, and others who received safe light at home in the mountain pass.

This season, we've been so honored to see the way people and communities have banded together to help families in need in Puerto Rico, Dominica, the US Virgin Islands, Barbuda, and beyond. On our recent feature on Shark Tank, we shared how much we've accomplished together, thanks to grass-roots support and our incredible partner organizations. We want to highlight their crucial work, and support them with so much left to do. Find out more ways to get support relief and recovery this holiday season.

LuminAID is back to light up Shark Tank, just in time for the holidays! The new episode features LuminAID's partnership with Convoy of Hope to bring safe solar light and charging to families left without power in Puerto Rico, after a devastating hurricane season.

Much of Puerto Rico is still without power one month after Hurricane Maria, and families are still struggling to recover without electricity. LuminAID co-founders Anna and Andrea decided to fly to Puerto Rico with hundreds of solar phone charger and solar lights in tow. They distributed aid with humanitarian partner Convoy of Hope, and saw the impact of that access to solar is having for families in Puerto Rico.