A Shining Light – Phillipines

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:23:28 +0000

In the slums of Manila one man's simple idea is bringing light into the dark lives of thousands of poor residents. His bright idea has become so popular that the local prison has even set up a production line. In makeshift houses that are mainly windowless, Illac Diaz pokes a plastic bottle filled with water through a specially cut hole in the roof, gathering natural light from outside and refracting it into the darkened rooms below. "It changes the whole dynamics of the family." And now Diaz is building whole schools, houses and clinics from recycled bottles. "We cannot wait for people to come and help us. This is a revolution from the bottom up."

A Liter Of Light

Documentary.net staff — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 06:53:51 +0000

A short film presenting a very promising project to bring more light into life. Today, millions of households still remain powerless at home. The idea: Turning waste plastic bottles into solar homes. Vision Do you know that millions of families still live in the dark? MyShelter Foundation aims to brighten up one million homes in the Philippines and around the world by the end 2012. And, with your help, four million homes on four continents by the end of 2013. According to statistics from the National Electrification Commission in 2009,  three million households still remain powerless outside Metro Manila. And even in the metro area, families still continue to live in darkness. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has reported that a large number of fire-related incidents involve faulty electrical connections. Informal settlements are high-risk areas, since the BFP does not conduct fire hazard inspections in these communities. MyShelter envisions spreading the gift of light to underprivileged communities globally — giving an economically- and ecologically-sustainable source of light that will provide an immediate solution to our fellowmen’s problems. About MyShelter Foundation MyShelter Foundation was established by Illac Diaz, a Filipino student, to create a system of sustainability and reliability through its capability-building and employment-generating projects. Introducing groundbreaking social enterprise, appropriate low-cost technologies, and alternative construction in the Philippines, MyShelter Foundation has pioneered projects such as the Pier One Seafarer’s Dormitory, the Design Against the Elements (DAtE) competition, and the Bottle School Project. About Isang Litrong Liwanag Isang Litrong Liwanag (1 Liter of Light), MyShelter Foundation’s latest venture, is a sustainable lighting project which aims to bring the eco-friendly Solar Bottle Light to disprivileged communities worldwide. Designed and developed with students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Solar Bottle Light is is rooted on the principle of Appropriate Technologies – a concept that provides simple and easily replicable technologies that address basic needs in developing communities. 1 Liter of Light is a program inspired by many innovations from around the world. Many cultures have used glass bottles to allow lighting through the roof, and Alfredo Moser from Brazil began pioneering methods of experimenting with plastic bottles. There have been modifications to the Philippine model, which has begun to grow it to scale, and we hope that others take our work and continue to grow the concept, spreading it rapidly to empower and lighten the lives of people.

Light Videos - The Documentary Network

A Shining Light – Phillipines

A Liter Of Light