A solar lighting initiative by PhoScope

Light from the Middle East

By

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

By

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!

By

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!

#GivingTuesday is a week from today.

By

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 Reach launches Light for Lebanon

By

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 at least 218 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!

By

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.

Soon: a global fundraiser at WeWork

By

September 30, 2019

WeWork and Light Reach will come together in October to kickstart an annual fundraiser in six global locations: New York and San Francisco in the US, Tokyo in Japan, Mexico City in Mexico, Bengaluru in India and London in the UK. We look forward to this event, and we welcome the WeWork community’s generous support for our next project!

  • map showing event locations

Seed funding for Recreo de Noche!

By

July 15, 2018

We received seed funding for our first pilot project under the Recreo de Noche program in Puerto Rico! Thank you to Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY) and Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNYC)!

logo for designers lighting forum NY
logo for illuminating engineering society

Days are short in the tropics, and PhoScope is launching Recreo de Noche in Puerto Rico to rapidly deploy solar lighting in community playgrounds for use after sunset. This program will serve the immediate recreational and social needs of many Puerto Ricans who are deprived of electrical power.

  • Recreo de Noche

Recreo de Noche is a replicable model for the procurement of a kit of solar lighting products for community groups who will distribute and install them in collaboration with teams of volunteers. The volunteers will moderate public discussions and hold participatory workshops on light and lighting.

  • diagram of our solar lighting kits