#MakeChange: Switched on for change

You might be admiring the holiday lights this time of year but these five lighting projects remind us that not everyone is as fortunate.

Part of the Project

From the Series

Lighting the way

Earlier this year Design Indaba Trust, Faith47 and Thingking teamed up to create #ANOTHERLIGHTUP, a project that raises awareness about the lack of adequate lighting in Cape Town’s more dangerous neighbourhoods. It included a giant mural overlooking one of the city’s main highways that lights up every time a donation is made to fund more lamps in the informal settlement of Monwabisi Park. While the campaign has now closed, donation lines are still open.

Turning music into light

SPARK is a musical shaker whose simple back-and-forth motion produces kinetic energy to power a lamp or charge a mobile phone through the device’s in-built USB port. It’s the passion project of Faithless percussionist Sudha Kheterpal, who has tested the shaker in Kenya. Read this Design Frontiers story.

Bottled light

Many informal dwellings are not adequately lit even in daytime as they don't have windows. The “Litre of Light” is an ingenious, simple solution that turns a plastic bottle filled with water and bleach into an environmentally sound light source. Read more about eco-entrepreneur Ilac Diaz’s idea to bring light to Manila slum dwellers.

A bright future

Engineer and businessman Evans Wadongo has garnered international attention for the innovative design of his MwangaBora solar lamp, which is helping to create a sustainable economy in rural areas in Kenya and beyond. Watch an exclusive video interview with him here.

Sunshine in a jar

The nifty Consol Solar Jar combines energy efficiency with a classic, utilitarian aesthetic. The glass jar is made from 35% recycled material and contains and LED bulb that is powered by an integrated solar panel fitted into the lid. Read more here.