Since 2003, Light Up The World has lit up approximately 110 homes in several villages in India using a mix of pedal generators, diesel generators and the local power grid for power generation. In total over 700 people benefited from this project. One Watt Lamps were also given to all staff in the Mastikari schoolhouse to put in their rooms, and in both the girls and boys dorms stairwells. By lighting the stairwells at night the student’s night-time toilet habits were changed for the better.

Light Up The World also provided the first use of solid state lighting in a medical theatre in Asia. In Bagdogra several offices in the Daughters of the Cross, and the Operating Theatre were lit using the local grid to charge the batteries. The lighting of these offices was equivalent to 40 homes using a 200 Watt AV and an existing Diesel Generator System to recharge batteries. Light Up The World was able to replace conventional incandescent lamps which consume 700 Watts and give off a great deal of heat in an already hot environment, and reduce the strain placed on the electrical grids which suffer continual multiple daily brown outs.

Indian Lighting Project 2001

Project Initiation Date: April 2001
Estimated Completion Date: August 2001
Homes Lit: 70 homes (medical operating theatre orphanage, schoolhouse, and St. Alphonsus Social and Agricultural Centre)

LUTW Sponsored Lamping Project- Installed systems in homes in the villages of Upper Mamring and Middle Mamring. In the village of Kurseong LUTW lit several offices in the Daughters of the Cross hospital and the medical operating theatre using local grid to charge the batteries. In the village of Bagdogra LUTW lit a an orphanage, schoolhouse, and the St. Alphonsus Social and Agricultural Centre (SASAC).

Ankuram Sangamam Poram (ASP) Cooperatives Federation of Andra Pradesh Dappu Dalits – Lighting Pilot Project

Project Initiation Date: October 2003
Estimated Completion Date: December 2004
Homes Lit: 100 (210 lights)

Dr. Vithal Rajan, the Chairman of the ASP Dalit-bahujan Cooperatives Federation of Andra Pradesh (A.P) State approached LUTW and our affiliate the Energreen Foundation to provide seed money for a 100 home village pilot project in Ranga Reddy District, A.P. State, India.

This is a pilot project to prove technical feasibility and socio-economic sustainability. The broader objective in follow-up phases is to utilize a complete system for bank financing, marketing, local training; assembly, installation and service support.

Target Beneficiaries are the Dalit families (formerly the “untouchables”). The ASP Cooperatives Federation is a successful and growing federation of mutually aided cooperative societies. ASP develops livelihood capabilities of over 100,000 members of the Dalit-bahujan community through one hundred autonomous member units spread over 12 districts in the State of Andhra Pradesh.

The cooperatives are already involved in the activities of micro finance and micro enterprise and have proven track record of successful outcomes.

LUTW is working in conjunction with ThinkSoft Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (Development consultants), Ankuram Sangamam Poram (ASP) Cooperatives Federation, Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI), and Energreen Foundation. The pilot installation is scheduled to take place in November 2004.

Ramakrishna Monastery Project to Light Char Dhams

Project Initiation Date: October 2004
Estimated Completion Date: December 2004
Homes Lit: 4 Char Dhams (Hindu Temples) (81 lights)

Swami Mahadevanand Saraswathi (Swamiji), working on behalf of Kali Mandir Monastery in Laguna Beach, California will be installing lamping systems in 4 Char Dhams (Hindu Temples) in various parts of Himalayan India in collaboration with the Ramakrishna Monastery. LUTW donated lamps to this project. LUTW recognizes the importance of lighting temples and community centres in order to increase the profile of LED lighting in India.