Give a Little Light, Hope and Opportunity

We have electricity in our cosy little cottage retreat at the lake, but the tiny bunkie out back where my daughter stays, does not! Light is a luxury restricted to the handheld flashlight she carries to see the pathway and then hangs on a hook. And then the batteries burn out.

As mentioned in a previous post, I recently donated to onemillionlights.org and also ordered one of the solar lanterns to try out for myself. Since the first day it arrived in its simple brown wrapping, it has been wonderful. The lantern gives off a soft white light that illuminates an entire room and provides a renewable source of light. It brought me back to when we were in Kenya navigating the pathways in the absolute pitch black dark of night with our headlamps. Made me think about the people who don't have flashlights or headlamps.

Through Twitter I stumbled across a compelling social enterprise called Solar Sister. The slogan - light, hope, opportunity – is also the mission statement. This organization tries to improve the lives of women by providing access to solar energy in a way that reaches the people with the most need, the women and girls living in remote rural villages.

Solar Sister is a woman-to-woman direct-sales distribution system (remember the Avon lady?) for solar lanterns that leverages women’s family, friends and community networks to bring the solar technology right to the women’s doorstep.

So this week my "give a little" donation goes to Solar Sister. The best part of this initiative is that it empowers women with economic opportunity and helps lift them out of poverty - and it is a wonderful example of women helping women; sisters helping sisters.

Read about my Thursday's Give a Little Challenge and other posts. I have to give ongoing props to Wendy Smith for her inspiring book, Give a Little. Consider giving it a read.