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Update from Light Up The World
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Greetings!
 We had a busy spring full of projects, some great events, and fundraisers. We celebrated another year of achievements at our Annual General Meeting with an inspiring presentation by Chris Turner that brought out many new faces. If you missed our AGM, you can find a copy of our 2011 Annual Report here. We celebrated Earth Day with our booth at Sunridge Mall and once again, we were the recipients of the silent auction fundraiser at GEOCONVENTION 2012. Also, thank you to the Gael McLeod Civic Campaign for including us again this year in this year's summer solstice fundraiser. Thank you to all the dedicated students that support our work, this spring we received donations from St. Dominic Elementary School, Douglas Harkness School, and the University of Calgary Light Up The World Club, all of whom worked through the year to help raise funds for our projects. Read below and click on images for highlights of some of the projects we completed this spring in Guatemala and Peru as well as upcoming events in the next quarter. |
| 50 Installations and 340 Lives Changed
In May and June, 50 solar photovoltaic (PV) systems were installed in off-grid homes in Todos Santos Cuchumatan, Guatemala, providing families with access to reliable lighting, power for radios, and power to charge cell phones. Approximately 340 villagers have benefited from this recent project. The solar PV systems mean families no longer have to buy gasoline, candles and disposable batteries to light their homes after dark. There are now 250 solar power systems installed in homes throughout Todos Santos.
Light Up The World implemented the project with the Guatemalan NGO, IMDI. LUTW trained 9 of IMDI's staff on how to install and maintain systems and installed many of the systems side-by-side with IMDI staff. IMDI has estimated that there are still roughly 1,000 families with no access to electric light.
Demand from communities is high and LUTW is working with IMDI to prepare for the next phase of the project that will see another 50 systems installed and more advanced training for IMDI's technicians. You can help expand access to electricity in Guatemala by making a donation to the next phase of the project here.
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Affordable Energy for a Family in Guatemala 
Macario Matias Jeronimo and his wife Santo Ramirez Mendoza have five children. Before they bought a solar photovoltaic system, their family used a gallon of kerosene for light every month. This cost the family 50 Quetzals (~ $7 CDN). To charge their cell phone, they paid 10 Quetzals (~ $1.30 CDN) every week. When Macario found out about this project, he paid $80 cash from his savings for a 5 Watt solar system with 2 lights and a cell phone charger. This investment in solar power in their home will save them about 90 Quetzals (~ $12 CDN) per month and provide a renewable and nontoxic source of power. Two of their children used to walk to a street light near their home to study every night. Now they have access to light inside their home! |
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Light Up The World is working on a new website. Stay tuned for the launch this fall along with a new logo!
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Click the image above to view our facebook album featuring a corporate outreach project with energy4everyone in the Peruvian Highlands. |
| Upcoming Events
EcoLiving Solar Stampede Breakfast
Friday, July 13, 2012
Innovate Calgary (parking lot)
3553 - 31 Street NW
8:00-10:00am
Visit Ecoliving's website for more details.
LUTW Solar Workshop in Calgary
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Join LUTW for a workshop on basic Solar PV. If interested, please email Christoph
for more details.
Stay tuned for more events and updates with our Facebook page and website.
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Check out our facebook album featuring an educational project with Texas Tech University in the Peruvian Amazon. |
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