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Help Light the Night

Vital Stats

Ellen A

Grand Junction, CO

amount raised9387
People Doing It 80

The Problem

25% of the world does not have access to electricity. In developing countries such as India and Kenya, many live "off the grid". Others lack reliable electricity. Many can't afford it. For many, kerosene is the only viable option for lighting and cooking. This source is expensive and toxic, and is a main source of air polution, which kills more people annually than malaria. These same people are frequently indebted to "loan sharks" who charge outrageous interest in order to feed their families and pay for kerosene, and struggle to find employment opportunities to leverge themselves out of poverty. This issue receives little coverage and publicity, and as a result, people worldwide continue to suffer from circumstances outside of their control. I want to raise awareness about air pollution, microloans, and sustainable foreign aid in my local community and in communities accross the United States.

Plan of Action

Last year, I collected together a group of students from 3 high schools in our valley; we all wanted to change the global perspective in our community and support Help Light the Night's solar lamp mission and entreprenurial training in Kenya. We decided to hold one large event to raise awareness and funds for this cause. We learned how to delegate responsibilities and divide the work amongst ourselves: ticket sales, marketing, auction, food, and logistics. Our first annual Dinner in the Dark exceeded our wildest expectations; we raised $9,316, which sent 467 solar lamps and $2,000 worth of entrepreneurial training to Kisumu County, Kenya. This year, we are focusing on empowering women in Madhya Pradesh, India: a poverty-stricken community in a country where 400 million people live without electricity, by holding our second annual Dinner in the Dark on March 8th and 9th, 2012. We hope to raise over $10,000 this year!