A solar lighting initiative by PhoScope

Light from the Middle East

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September 16, 2021

Poster for Light from the Middle East, a live, online fundraising event that was held on September 16th, 2021.

Our live, online fundraising event Light from the Middle East was a huge success! Thanks to our generous sponsors, donors and ticket-buyers we raised $23,000 for our program Light for Lebanon, to bring solar-powered lighting to Beirut.

We thank our generous sponsors from the Middle East: our Shining Sponsor Huda Lighting who got the ball rolling on our event, our Silver Sponsors Debbas Group and Traxon, our Bronze Sponsors Lutron and Nulty, and our donors Studio Mark and LuxBuro. We cannot do this important work without your generous support.

Thank you to the amazingly talented Mayssa Karaa for joining us and for sharing your special song for Lebanon — we all had goosebumps! Click here for the music video to Ta’aa and be inspired.

LEAD WITH LIGHT

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September 2, 2021

WILD panel poster with headshots of panelists

Is light a basic human right? Do you want to learn about social engagement through lighting? Do you want to help communities facing darkness? Women in Lighting and Design hosted this stellar panel on September 9th, but if you missed it, you can still purchase a ticket here to access the recording. Our panelists spoke about their important work in this arena: Francesca Bastianini on Gowanus Lighting Project, Leela Shanker on “Open“, Nathalie Rozot on Light Reach and Manal Kahale on Light for Lebanon. The panel was moderated by the inimitable Sam Koerbel of Lytei. All ticket proceeds benefit Light for Lebanon — help us re-illuminate Beirut!

Light for Lebanon Phase 1 is Fully Funded!

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August 21, 2021

We are thrilled to announce that thanks to our generous supporters, Phase 1 is fully funded! With our first 3,700 solar lights, we will soon have served around 1,600 families, 300 buildings, 10 streets, 1 park and 1 mobile playground.

We are officially kicking off Phase 2 by raising an additional $150,000 to purchase and distribute an additional 4,500 solar portables, 450 solar flood lights and 45 solar streetlights.

We thank our generous sponsors:

We also thank our many individual supporters. None of this important work is possible without your generous support! There is a lot more work to be done. The current fuel crisis, compounding the existing economic and political crises, means fuel is completely unaffordable to many (if they can even find any). Through covid lockdowns and protests we are distributing and installing solar-powered lighting to give residents back their lives after sunset. Help us make sure that no one is left in the dark!

Light Reach welcomes Jenny Werbell to the team

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Headshot of Jenny Werbell

April 30, 2021

Jenny Werbell, Community Outreach Coordinator, is a New York-based independent senior architectural lighting designer and a lighting educator.

As Community Outreach Coordinator, Jenny brings her extensive experience in marketing and communications, public programming coordination, fundraising event organization and committee work to spearhead Light Reach’s outreach efforts and fundraising events.

She holds a BA in Anthropology from Haverford College and a Masters in Fine Arts in Interior and Lighting Design from Parsons.

#GivingTuesday is a week from today.

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November 24, 2020

Give Light on Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is a week from today. This year, choose to Give Light.

Three months after the explosion in the port of Beirut, 250,000 people are still in the dark. Light for Lebanon provides solar-powered lights to help communities get back on their feet. We are donating portables for indoor and outdoor use, and installing flood-lights and street-lights so residents can safely walk, work, and play after sunset. Please donate and help us reach our goal of $100,000 and provide 3,000 lights for the residents of Beirut!

Light for Lebanon on SWANA Region Radio

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Sept. 20, 2020

SWANA Region Radio features Light for Lebanon in an interview with our partner Manal Kahale and our legal consultant Elizabeth Boulos. Click here to hear them explain the damages from the August 4, 2020 blast, the current situation on the ground, and how Light for Lebanon is aiding residents by providing them with much needed solar-powered lighting.

Introducing our new program partner for Light for Lebanon

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Sept. 3, 2020

  • portrait of Manal

We are very pleased to introduce Manal Kahale as our partner for our newest program Light for Lebanon.

Raised in Lebanon, Manal studied Landscape Architecture at the American University of Beirut and holds a master’s degree in Lighting Design from Parsons in NYC. She worked in the USA for four years before returning to Lebanon to try and bridge both worlds through lighting. However, her return to her home country was more difficult than anticipated with the unfolding economic crisis as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, and finally on the 4th of August 2020, the biggest non-nuclear explosion ever recorded. This catastrophe unlocked feelings of communal support triggered by the complete absence of any relief efforts on the part of the Lebanese government. As a result, Manal decided to use her knowledge and experience to partake in relief efforts both as an active citizen and a lighting designer.

We are thrilled by this partnership and by the opportunity to quickly and sustainably re-illuminate Beirut.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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June 25, 2020

In 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to guarantee the fundamental rights of each and every person anywhere in the world. The declaration was forged in the context of decolonization and became the foundation for international human rights law.

Today, too many people have yet to achieve equal rights.

At PhoScope and Light Reach, we advocate for universal human rights.

Check out the full text on the UN website

Celebrating International Women’s Day with Women in Lighting!

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March 8, 2020

Light Reach celebrates international women’s day with Women in Lighting and its one-year anniversary this week!

As a women-led initiative and organization, we are thrilled to join WiL’s global network of women and truly honored to be featured in arc magazine’s latest WiL feature article in an interview by Sarah Cullen.

One of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda is to achieve gender equality. Light Reach offers a new avenue of social engagement for the lighting community to contribute to this agenda by fostering sustainability, resilience, and light equity: we expect that new WiL teams will soon be expanding Light Reach’s positive impact worldwide. 

Light Reach is a collective effort. Please contact us at info@lightreach.net to sponsor or partner on our next projects, volunteer on a team, or just connect.

A warm welcome to our new volunteer

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February 26, 2020

Elisa Rothenbühler started her career in International Development, specializing in social programs improving maternal and child health. She then discovered her passion for design, and received her Master’s in Lighting and Interior Design in 2017. Her unique combination of knowledge and experience will be a valuable asset to Light Reach, and we are thrilled to have her on board!