A solar lighting initiative by PhoScope

Light Reach launches Light for Lebanon

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August 28, 2020

Three weeks ago on August 4, 2020, the largest non-nuclear explosion in history tore through Beirut, destroying homes, businesses and entire neighborhoods in this beautiful metropolis that was once called the Paris of the Middle East. The blast killed over 180 people, injured 6,000 and left 300,000 homeless. An already shaky power grid sustained significant damage plunging much of the city into darkness after sunset.

  • destroyed traditional house with decorative ceilings visible from outside
  • street and cars covered in rubble with blown out windows and dangling air conditioners

This disaster unfolded on top of an existing economic crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, and ongoing protests against decades of corruption. The silver lining lies in Lebanon’s creative, entrepreneurial citizens and their can-do spirit, as they mobilize to clean up and rebuild in place of their government.

  • workers sweeping rubble from stairs
  • young volunteers with brooms and masks

Lebanese architectural lighting designer and activist Manal Kahale contacted Light Reach to assist her in bringing solar-powered lighting to the damaged areas. Our existing replicable and scalable model is readily adaptable to quickly bring some illumination to the darkened streets without having to wait for grid restoration or construction. In this effort we launched our newest program, Light for Lebanon.

It has been three weeks and citizens have been busy clearing the rubble, but reconstruction will require a large influx of funding, equipment and materials. In the meantime too many are still living in the dark. Please DONATE to help quickly bring back the light to Beirut.

Women in Lighting Kicks Off T-shirt Competition!

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August 7, 2020

Women in Lighting kicks off its T-shirt competition to broadcast our collective messages of Hope, Solidarity, Empowerment, Light and Equality.

All profits will benefit Light Reach — we are so thrilled by, and grateful for, WIL’s and all entrants’ creative support for our mission to advance global lighting equality!

Today the voices of Women in Lighting are more important than ever: what is your message to the world?

Submit your design on the WIL website between August 17th and September 30th. The top 10 winning T-Shirt designs will be produced and sold online at the WIL T-shirt shop — more details to follow.

From Hurricanes to Earthquakes: Puerto Rico’s Darkness Calls for Resilient Lighting Systems.

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February 7, 2020

Today the House approved an earthquake relief package for Puerto Rico, but the White House opposes releasing the funds. Meanwhile the island is still awaiting billions of dollars in aid approved for reconstruction after Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Puerto Rico has experienced hundreds of aftershocks since the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that shook the island on January 7th and caused an island-wide power outage. This is compounding existing damage from the devastating Hurricanes Maria and Irma that still hasn’t been adequately addressed. Maria caused the largest blackout in US history (second largest in the world!) and it took 11 months to restore power.  This sequence of natural disasters and inadequate responses highlight the need for off-grid power.

Light Reach’s solar lighting kits provide an immediate solution to communities experiencing light poverty: they are rapidly deployable and easy to install. In the event of a hurricane, one kit allows a community to distribute 50 portable lights to families, and to shelter and immediately re-install 10 flood lights and 5 pole lights.

Together, we can do a lot. Help us bring resilient and sustainable lighting solutions to Puerto Rican communities. Please contact us to become a project sponsor, and donate: https://lightreach.net/donate/

WeWork for Light Reach — NYC, Tokyo, Bengaluru

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October 28, 2019

Thank you to WeWork for hosting a multi-city fundraising marathon for Light Reach! Staff in six cities came up with their own lighting crafting idea, and NYC also held a raffle. We are very grateful for your support and for your belief in our mission to bring light equality. Here some photos from WeWork Tokyo, WeWork Bengaluru, and WeWork NYC.

Now working with three communities

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March 1, 2019

We meet again with our partner Gustavo from Impec to refine the selection of all solar stationary lights…

and we head out to our second workshop where twenty residents of the barrio Mariana de Humacao await us… After another successful workshop, we test our new solar floodlights to help the community create landscape lighting on the playground.

The next day we join our new partner, La Maraña, on a visit to Comerío where we will soon launch our third pilot project.

We begin our second pilot project

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January 11, 2019

  • Proyecto Enlace del Caño Martín Peña

Finally, we can install the first pole light … but we had to choose another location for the prototype, due to illegal dumping on the site they originally selected: Enlace and the community are working on this– to be continued.

  • Installation of first pole

Our team also goes to Humacao to meet with the community leaders of Barrio Mariana, and visits the playground which they are working on with La Maraña and where they would like to do a Recreo de Noche project (RDN2).

Our first workshop with children

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November 16, 2018

Marién is back in San Juan for the pilot project of Recreo de Noche to do a workshop on light with children at the Mini Oratorio Los Hijos de Don Bosco. We also welcome Stephanie and Lorna who have joined the RDN team, as well as Llaima, who has volunteered to film the workshop.

  • three kids experimenting with portable lights
  • children in a lighting workshop

Despite torrential rains, the first workshop was a success: mission accomplished, and everyone asked for the next one! The installation of the pole light prototype that was scheduled with the community was cancelled, but our volunteers were able to test some landscape lighting effects with the four sample solar utility flood lights we purchased.