It’s a tiny little invention from Santa Barbara County that’s helped change lives around the world. They created a tiny, low cost solar lamp which is lighting up the lives of people who don't have electricity.
"The Institute For Energy Efficiency (at UC Santa Barbara) was only operating for a couple of years, when we got a visit from a professor in Kenya," said Dr. John Bowers is an internationally known researcher who is director of the Institute.
"I was showing him what I thought was all the great research. He said 'Why don't you do something good for the world?' I was sort of taken aback, because I thought we had some pretty cool stuff. But, he said what they needed was low cost lights...the typical solar light costs half a year's salary (in Kenya)," said Bowers.
Bowers said they took on the challenge, and created a high efficiency, low cost lamp. It uses a single rechargeable battery, but it can provide light for hours. They created a non-profit to make, and distribute the lights, called Unite To Light.
They only weigh about as much as your cell phone, and have a single bulb. But, for people living without electricity, they are a beacon shining through the darkness.
Bowers says the lights have had an amazing impact in countries where electricity is scarce. Many families still rely on kerosene lamps. The fuel is expensive, so they can’t leave them on so their kids can study for school. The lamps have changed that.
"When we sent lights to South Africa, the graduation rate goes up 25 to 30%. Kids want to learn, they want to succeed," he said.
Unite to Light has also created a low-cost solar phone and Ipad charger.
While the project started with an effort to help families in Kenya, the lights and chargers soon became part of some key global disaster relief efforts.
In the last few weeks, hundreds of the lights, and phone chargers have been shipped to Hawaii, to help the wildfire victims on the islands.
"We work with folks wherever disaster strikes. That could be Ukraine, or Hawaii," said Megan Birney, who is President of Unite To Light. They work with the Santa Barbara-based international disaster relief organization Direct Relief, which helps distribute the lamps and chargers in crisis situations.
She says they survive on donations.
"It's incredibly important for us to get contributions. We get support from Rotary, we do fundraisers, we also write grants, and we also reach out to the community in times of disaster," said Birney.
It costs about seven dollars each to make, and ship the lights to the people around the world who will use them. There’s a program where you can buy one of the lights, or a charger to get disaster ready, and help others at the same time. You get one, and for your purchase you are paying for someone around the world to receive one.
