Solar Village Project, Inc. ("SVP") is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate energy poverty for some of the most impoverished communities in the developing world.
Today, over one billion people around the world live without any, or reliable, access to the electric grid. Entire homes - families including men, women, and children - are forced to use kerosene, other oil-based products, or candles for their lighting requirements at night. These lighting sources pose direct health and safety risks from long-term exposure to toxic fumes and the potential to start home fires. Collectively, they also impose a significant cost to the environment, contributing to global warming, through the release of both carbon dioxide and black carbon similar to the burning of any other fossil fuels.
Our goal is to replace these undesirable lighting sources with a simple, economically and environmentally-friendly solution in the form of portable solar home lighting systems. In addition to the health, safety, and environment benefits, improving access to lighting in these communities helps to alleviate poverty by providing additional resources for businesses to operate at night and children to read and further their education.