Villages Illuminated
Houses Lit
People Impacted
“About a week ago, we went to a small village located 4 hours out of Mumbai. Project Chirag's aim was to help all the locals there install solar-powered bulbs in their houses for easy and a significantly cheaper access to light. Upon arriving we were shocked to learn about some of their daily struggles. To begin with, their houses would remain dark even during the day due to the absence of electricity, they had no toilets making them prone to scorpion and snake bites, the closest medicinal facility was 30 kms away and they had very limited access to education. However when we arrived, there was no sign of pain or struggle on their faces; in fact they all had a very welcoming smile. The children couldn't be any more excited upon seeing us there as we unloaded the gifts we had brought for them- to them these might have seemed like gifts, but for us they were basic needs like rugs, blankets, umbrellas and food. We proceeded to move towards their houses, some of which were more than 30 minutes of walking through mud, thorns, streams and steep slopes. We realized that all our traveling and contributions to bring them light and electricity had been worth it when we saw how delighted they were to see us install the devices. We returned soon after, but what we realized was that how fortunate we are to have the education and convenience that the ones in need would give anything to have. Thanks to the whole team of Project Chirag for giving us the opportunity to help those in need.
Manav Shah - Student
Kerosene lanterns emit high levels of CO2 gases. The use of one kerosene lamp emits 5 tonnes of CO2 a year. This has a dire effect on the environment.
In a village of 100 households, if each household used a single kerosene lantern for a year, the village is emitting 500 tonnes of CO2 per annum from their lanterns alone.