September 5th is International Day of Charity, launched in 2012 to honour Mother Teresa as a time to recognize and appreciate the important work charities do in alleviating suffering and promoting human security. Without exception, charities are essential to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an expansive set of targets aimed to build a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, peace, justice, and environmental degradation. As an international Canadian charity, LUTW would like to bring awareness to our target SDG and its impact and our role in capacity building.
SDG7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
For over 25 years LUTW has been focusing on giving clean and affordable energy to those living in remote areas from all around the world. Light Up The World also believes that energy is a human right and necessity in order to alleviate poverty, promote good health, create equal access to education, increase economic growth, and take action towards climate change. Through the power of energy, individuals are able to break free from adversity. According to an estimate by the UN.ORG, there are still 789 million people under-resourced around the world who don’t have equal access to energy – that is nearly a third of the world’s population targeting the most vulnerable groups, women and children. From first-hand experience, LUTW has been able to see how the power of electricity has been able to alleviate human suffering, human security, and help mitigate climate change.
Our Role in Capacity Building
Throughout the years we have been able to see the transformative change of not only those who we serve but also those who have volunteered with us. In this blog, I would like to invite you down memory lane and share with you how LUTW has been capturing the heart of the SDGs throughout its time.
When it comes to talking about how energy has been a form of human alleviation we can look into the insights Ramiro Yahkur shared with us. In 2021 LUTW did an installation in the community of Cucuasa. Ramiro Yagkur a teacher from the Cucuasa community shared with us how as a teacher he realizes that many students leave aside their homework due to the lack of light and have used flashlights. But now by having a photovoltaic system that takes advantage of the sun’s energy and a battery that will last a long time, there is already change. Yagkur shared with us that from now on, this school has an advantage where students have greater accessibility and will be able to dream beyond. Through the power of the photovoltaic system, LUTW has been able to alleviate human suffering by providing communities such as the one of Ramiro Yagkur, with accessible education and basic human needs.
Another form of human security has been evident through the interviews made in the community of Ccollpapata. In one of our most recent YouTube videos, we interviewed integral members of the community and asked them how their lives were impacted and how it has affected the lives of their students. Just a short snippet of the video, we asked Thomas Hugo Arteaga Yauricasa, Principal at Ccollpapata Elementary School, how this has affected his students and he stated that; due to the lack of electricity that they greatly needed they weren’t able to implement technology such as tablets and laptops had to be put aside. Without electricity, the teachers were not able to fully implement the education that is needed for their students. For more information, we invite you to visit our youtube channel.
Mitigating climate change has been a priority of LUTW as well and this has been evident throughout the work that we do. In one of our most recent work with Terra Nuova, we had the opportunity to talk to a local we trained, Robert from Rio Santiago, province of Conforcanqui, in the Amazon shared with us how for most of his childhood there was no access to energy, his only form of light was lanterns or those old lamps that would be lit up with old wick. Thanks to those lamps he was able to do school work. Using such lamps and kerosene is not only expensive for locals but also damaging to the environment; they pollute the air and always end up in landfills. Through photovoltaic energy, the reduction of pollution goes down and helps families in the community economically.
Photovoltaic energy is helping provide a better future for those living in poverty and most importantly the communities who are usually forgotten.
Take Action
Sustainable energy is the bridge between human security and climate change. Through access to sustainable energy families and communities have been able to acquire their necessities for a better future and world. Access to clean energy = education = health = opportunity
Become a sustainable donor today. In order for us to maintain our sustainability mandate, we need sustainable and ongoing support from you! Your support will help LUTW provide access to solar energy in remote communities of Peru. You can support us through monthly or a one-time donation. Your donation is not only helping, but also transforming lives. For more information on how to donate click on the “Donate Now” Link located below.