impact stories

Rosalina, affectionately known as "Nini," is 96 years old and lives in the mountains of Ilin Island in the Philippines. In 2013, she became the very first recipient of a Watts of Love solar light. Growing up with eight siblings, her family faced financial challenges and never left the island. Today, Nini sustains herself by selling bamboo barbeque sticks. Before the solar light, she used kerosene, which negatively affected her health. A decade later, Nini still has her solar light and fondly recalls the joy of that special night when her life was transformed.

In January 2021, George received a Watts of Love solar light, understanding its potential after empowerment training. Saving on battery costs, he invested in a pig and later sold it for a profit. Shifting to chickens, which quickly multiplied, he soon had 58 chicks, resulting in significant earnings. With newfound profits, George reinvested in more chicks and pigs. His success allowed him to buy a solar water pump for crop irrigation and even afford to send two of his children to school. He is now saving for a motorbike.

Naoum has a fascinating story about how Watts of Love solar lights are used in her community. The lights attract grasshoppers at night, enabling her and fellow villagers to gather significant quantities to sell. Motivated by Watts of Love's financial literacy training, Naoum started saving the money she used to spend on batteries and the earnings from her grasshopper business. Now, armed with newfound financial stability, she proudly sends her children to school, a testament to the transformative impact of Watts of Love's program.

Frank stopped buying batteries and purchased chickens with savings after receiving his Watts of Love solar light and empowerment training. Soon after, the money he made selling chicks and eggs allowed him to buy a goat. Frank is thankful for his light for allowing him to grow his farm and for helping his family avoid using kerosene lamps to light their home, which often causes accidental fires and injuries. Frank has also used the strobe function of his solar light to scare away elephants that attempted to pass through their village. Elephants can pose significant threats to people and destroy homes and crops.

Emery, at the age of 74, is defying the odds. Since receiving her solar light and financial literacy training in July 2023, she's been savvy with her money, avoiding spending Malawian Kwacha on batteries. Emery continues to make strategic investments in her land, witnessing the returns multiply. Remarkably, within just two months, she was selling sweet potatoes! Even on challenging days in the agriculture-driven village of Waiyatsa, Emery creatively repurposed dead corn, selling it as feed to buy soap. The Watts of Love program has opened new doors for Emery, and shown what’s possible in her future.

Lucy is a widowed grandmother and the head of her household. She received a Watts of Love solar light and financial empowerment training from our local Watts of Love partners in 2020. She was filled with joy because she planned to buy a goat, an excellent source of stability and income in this part of the world. Lucy began saving her kerosene money on the first day, just as the empowerment training suggested. Shortly after, she was able to purchase a goat to support her family.

Esther worked at a hospital in her youth and was promised a home that was never delivered. Despite her constant work, her house deteriorated, and she couldn't afford repairs. Skeptical but hopeful, she embraced Watts of Love, immediately saving her money after receiving a solar light and financial literacy training. Excitement filled her as she celebrated with her neighbors. Then, after weaving mats day and night, she saved enough to buy two chickens. The proceeds from selling the eggs enabled her to afford home maintenance. After years of disbelief, Esther is dreaming big and saving for a tin roof!

Eness financially supports her older children, who live outside her village. However, after Watts of Love, her main focus is saving what she can. She has two granddaughters, 11 and 13, living with her, and her big dream is to send them to school. With her financial literacy training, her dream can become a reality. She also wants to upgrade their living situation by replacing the grass roof with a sturdier metal one. The solar light and training she received this year showed her that even at 66, she can plan for a brighter future.

Arevaloy's commitment to education is remarkable as she navigates her way to and from school alone. Every day at the crack of dawn, she rows herself across a dark lake in a small wooden boat to go to school, returning in the dark of night to the tiny island where her family lives. In the remote areas of the Philippines, continuing education beyond middle school is a challenge, and Arevaloy's determination is deeply inspiring. Fortunately, she received a Watts of Love solar light, providing added security during her nightly travels lighting her way to a better education!

Felia, a recipient of Watts of Love’s solar light and financial literacy training in July 2023, was selected by the chief of her village in Ntcheu, Malawi, for her dedication to caring for her four orphaned grandchildren. Despite societal stigmas attached to making money at age 60, Felia felt empowered. It took a couple of weeks for her to grasp Watts of Love's financial literacy training, but the smile on her face when she pulled out her savings of 1000 kwacha from her Watts of Love box spoke volumes. Felia plans to use her newfound knowledge and savings to send her grandchildren to school.

Since receiving her Watts of Love solar light in January 2023, Joyce has found it extremely useful in various unplanned situations. When the hospital lost power during a recent stay, her light became a valuable resource for the staff caring for patients in different rooms. Beyond the solar lights’ impact on those around her, Joyce was empowered by her financial literacy training and invested in chickens. She is now successfully breeding her chickens and makes money selling the chicks.

Rambo, a 33-year-old fisherman from the Philippines’ Ilin Island, transformed his life after receiving a Watts of Love solar light in 2017. He saved the money he had previously spent on kerosene and started buying and selling pigs. This led to financial stability and a new home for his family but also helped his fishing business. The solar light proved invaluable during low tide, helping Rambo spot glowing shrimp in the mangrove forest and enhancing the effectiveness of fishing lures, resulting in a greater catch. Inspired by this positive change, Rambo became a Watts of Love trainer, sharing his knowledge to empower others in nearby islands to overcome poverty through education and sustainable practices.

For Hobed, a farmer near a wildlife reserve, his Watts of Love solar light became a game-changer for his nightly struggles against crop-eating animals. Using the light's strobe function to scare them off, he was able to protect and improve his harvest in one season. Then, empowered by Watts of Love's financial literacy training, Hobed saved his profits to purchase a pig. After the pig had a litter, he sold one of the piglets and was able to send his children to school, brightening their futures with newfound opportunities.

After receiving a Watts of Love solar light, the light became an essential part of Benedicto’s daily routine. The light has enabled him to skillfully prepare corn tortillas in the early morning and cook dinner for his three children in the evening. Before Watts of Love, Benedicto and his family relied on toxic and expensive candles and kerosene lamps for light. Now, he puts his savings towards school supplies for his children and has eliminated health risks from smoke inhalation. The transition to solar light has enhanced Benedicto’s daily tasks and his children’s education, and has created a healthier, brighter environment for his family.

After receiving his Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy training, Ida began investing his savings in his fishing business. First, he saved money he was previously using to purchase kerosene to buy a bike. With improved transportation, Ida could fish more often and transport more fish farther to sell. Ida has now saved enough to send his children to secondary school and achieve his Big Dream - to buy a motorcycle!

Less than a year after the loss of her husband, Thulani found a source of empowerment when she received her Watts of Love solar light and training in July 2023. With a child to care for and a generous spirit that welcomes others into her home, having savings is crucial for Thulani. She quickly applied what she learned from Watts of Love’s financial literacy training and saved more each week. Two months after receiving her solar light, she purchased her first chicken.

Jose and Leonila, facing poverty on the Philippines' Ilin Island, overcame challenges by transitioning from fishing to shoemaking after Jose suffered a foot injury. The gift of Watts of Love's solar light and financial education transformed their lives. With disciplined savings, they bought a pig, turning 1800 PHP (33 USD) into 21,600 PHP (400 USD) in just 9 months. This success enabled them to afford medicine, a tin roof, and surgery for Jose. Now stable, their new dreams include upgrading their shoemaking business and opening a sari-sari store.

The chief of Waiyatsa in Malawi chose Patricia and Aggie's grandfather to receive a Watts of Love solar light due to his age. Despite not physically having a solar light themselves, Watts of Love's financial literacy training has profoundly impacted his 18-year-old granddaughters, both mothers. Since receiving the training in July 2023, they've pooled resources to purchase their first chicken. The transformative power of teaching concepts like "savings" and "investing" has put Patricia and Aggie on their own paths toward financial freedom.

Soon after receiving his Watts of Love solar light, Jordan used its strobe function to ward off destructive elephants, protecting his home. Then, empowered by Watts of Love’s financial literacy training, he started saving what he previously spent on batteries, allowing him to afford medical care for his injured leg. Continuing to save, he now owns chickens and sells the eggs and chicks. This additional income allows Jordan to provide extra food and shelter for his grandchildren.

Empowered by a Watts of Love solar light and our financial literacy training, Axel wasted no time saving. He saved enough to send all four of his children to school and acquired two pigs. With a strategic vision, he plans to breed the pigs and sell the piglets for additional income. Axel's Big Dream is to build a spacious house with a tin roof, a dream now within reach.

Zigele is a resilient 72-year-old woman who also cares for her five grandchildren. She received Watts of Love’s solar light and financial literacy training in July 2023. No longer burdened by battery expenses, she quickly saved money, enabling her to revive her local beer-selling business in less than two months. Now, Zigele aspires to purchase chickens to sell the chicks, offering her enhanced financial security.

After receiving a Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy training, Maki promptly saved and bought five chickens. Later, faced with elephants threatening the village, he cleverly used the strobe function of his solar light to protect homes and livestock. As he continues to save, Maki's Big Dream is to purchase a cow.

After receiving the Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy training, Kennedy began redirecting his kerosene expenses toward savings. He invested in chickens and a goat that quickly had its first kid. Kennedy plans to breed and sell more goats to purchase a cow—Kennedy dreams of selling future calves to fund his children's college education. He says the solar light has improved his children's education by allowing them to study at night. Since receiving their solar light, Kennedy and his wife can also better care for their newborn. They have peace of mind at night and feel better equipped to protect their family.

Empowered by his Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy training, Yohan promptly started saving, leading him to invest in a goat. Over time, the goat had four kids. Selling two of them enabled Yohan to buy a bicycle. He intends to sustain a steady income through goat breeding with his remaining two pregnant goats. This newfound financial stability has allowed Yohan to send his children to school, and he is proud to report that his oldest son is now in 8th grade.

Zachariah and his family had no livestock before receiving a Watts of Love solar light. Their roof was falling apart. His children were not able to study in the dark at night.

In 2019, his family received solar light and financial empowerment training and began to save the money used for batteries and candles. They purchased three chickens, and the chickens quickly reproduced and gave them 34 chickens! Zachariah sold some chickens to buy four goats. He then sold more of his livestock to purchase a rice plantation and started selling rice at the market.

Zachariah has bought a tin roof for their house, and his children are now at the top of their class since they can study after dark! One solar light has made all this possible, and this is only the beginning.

Thuli Nani Devja has only known life with leprosy, having lived in a leper colony for over 50 years. She does not have hands or fingers. In 2016, when Nancy Economou and Kevin Kuster met Thuli and witnessed the daily challenges she and people like her face with even basic tasks like caring for themselves, they knew that our existing solar light would be of no use to the people living in the leper colony if they were unable to turn the lights on.

Nancy and John Economou, along with Kevin, were determined to change this and to make Watts of Love’s solar lights usable for everyone. In November 2018, a Global Travel Team returned to the Khokana leper colony in Nepal and turned that vision into a reality!

In a rural community, Phyllis, a single mother of nine, eagerly accepted a Watts of Love solar light. Struggling to feed her family, she immediately recognized the value of the Watts of Love program and financial literacy. In addition to expanding her ability to produce income, the light meant more time for her children to study. When Watts of Love returned to her community a few months after receiving her light, she shared the true impact of the light.

Before the light, her daughter Martha had been doing poorly in school. After receiving their light, though, she is now second in her class. As Martha shared her gratitude for the light, her mother, Phyllis, began to cry. She was so proud of everything her daughter had accomplished. Martha is an example of success in her community and has set an excellent example for her younger siblings!

Adorable baby ducklings in a small fishing village in Uganda scramble after their mother. The little ones are truly a delight for Martin and his family, an unexpected blessing after receiving a Watts of Love solar lantern in 2018.

The family used to purchase expensive batteries for flashlights or even burn spear grass to light their home at night, a common practice in the village of Ayei.

After the gift of light, Martin saved enough money to purchase a duck. His duck met a fellow duck, and now their family boasts ducklings and the beginning of a livestock operation. Martin’s face beams as he describes how solar light changed his family.

Are you looking for a quick snack? Stop by Ling Ling’s sari-sari store in Ilin! One of our earliest light recipients, Ling Ling, is a true case study in female empowerment. After receiving her Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy training, Ling Ling began saving the money she previously spent on kerosene and was able to purchase a chicken.

Her family’s financial foundation shifted when she started selling eggs and saving her profits to purchase a pig. Ling Ling kept growing her businesses, selling and investing herself. She now owns a small sari-sari store in her village, and Ling Ling’s husband works for her.

Innovators aren't exclusive to developed nations. Where there is extreme poverty, there are also untapped scientists, mathematicians, writers, engineers, and innovators like Geoffrey.

Geoffrey earns money sharpening tools like knives and machetes. To increase productivity, he retrofitted a grindstone to the rear axle of his bicycle. This not only improved his daily workflow but also made his business mobile.

And now, Geoffrey has a Watts of Love solar light, which affords him longer working hours and more income. We can't wait to see what Geoffrey creates now!

When our team first met Daisy in Haiti as a "local translator," her lack of confidence and motivation were evident. With slumped shoulders and a disinterested demeanor, she listened to our team's stories about how our lights could change lives. Daisy, a mother of two struggling to make ends meet, skeptically received her light, and we left Haiti.

A year later, we returned, and Daisy, now our translator again, had undergone a remarkable transformation. She stood tall and strong, sharing her success story with the assembly of Haitian women. Daisy had used her initial investment wisely, buying chickens, pigs, and goats. She paid for her children's education and medical bills, started a small business, and now lives in abundance. She even owns a cow, Haiti's prized asset, to help pay for her child's college education. Daisy has become a beacon of hope for her family and community.

Elida, a single mother of two, received her Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy training in March 2018, marking a turning point in her life. Before this, she relied on flashlights and candles in her home.

Empowered, Elida invested in household supplies and purchased two hens that quickly began laying eggs she could sell. The additional income, coupled with her work in coffee plantations, brought financial stability. Elida also used the funds for her children's school supplies.

Her son's separate beekeeping venture adds to the family's progress. Grateful to Watts of Love for brightening her home, Elida is on a path to economic independence.

Months after receiving his Watts of Love solar light, Bosco, his wife, and their nine children eagerly and proudly welcomed the team to their home.

After receiving Watts of Love's financial literacy training and solar light, Bosco was keen on saving money previously spent on kerosene, especially with a large family to support. His initial savings allowed him to buy chickens, which, in turn, enabled him to acquire two goats. Bosco's vision extends to selling the goats to fund the purchase of pigs, with hopes for a lucrative breeding venture.

His Big Dream is to buy a larger home for his family.

Like many other grandmothers in Uganda, Ruth became the primary caregiver for her ten grandchildren when her daughters died of HIV. When she received her Watts of Love light, she had been desperately struggling to provide basic needs for her family.

Ruth has started a successful chicken and pig business since receiving her Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy training. She understood that she could save money and change her family’s future! She did this by using her savings to pay for her grandchildren’s school fees. Ruth is a perfect example of poverty alleviation in one generation!

In Malawi, people with albinism face severe marginalization and discrimination, lacking opportunities to defend their rights. Due to skin sensitivity, they're constrained to early morning or evening hours, limiting daytime productivity. Evenings bring threats, and kerosene lamps, vital for safety, lead to excessive use in this community, exacerbating poverty.

Watts of Love recognized the struggle and introduced solar lighting to enhance safety and productivity. The lights brought hope, empowering the albino community to emerge from poverty's darkness. Beyond providing solar lights and financial literacy, Watts of Love empowered albino individuals to lead, becoming beacons of hope in Malawi.

Before receiving a Watts of Love solar light, brothers Alfred and Yosef would study by dim candlelight for 30 minutes in the evening.

Now, these brothers study for over two hours every evening! With the advantage of solar light, they moved to the top of their class in less than a year. Only 5-10% of their class will be selected to move on to secondary school (high school), and Alfred and Yosef were among them. It’s incredible what having access to safe and reusable lighting can do.

In the Batwa village of Kebilemu in southern Uganda, Annette lives with her children and blind father. Before receiving a solar light in 2019, she weaved three small baskets per week and farmed for a living.

After receiving her solar light, she could weave three larger baskets weekly, making more money.

Within six months, she purchased two ducks and one chicken, and the chicken had five chicks. Still a farmer, she plans to breed ducks and chickens to sell and use that money to buy a pig for her family.

Annette understands the value of her light and uses the low setting while cooking and the brighter setting as a headlamp when weaving at night. She is excited by the opportunity for her son to have brighter light while studying. We can't wait to visit Annette and see how her animals and son have grown.

During a visit to a Malawi community, we met some thrilled light recipients. Shortly after receiving their Watts of Love solar light and financial literacy empowerment training, they formed a group named "aWATTSi" after Watts of Love.

Thanks to their Watts of Love solar lights, these empowered women started weaving together in the dark afternoons after spending the day caring for their crops. They could earn extra income by selling baskets, mats, and other goods, increasing their weekly production. They also shared how they hold each other accountable for their savings, with the money no longer spent on candles for light!

These women are a great example of how solar light and financial literacy can increase income and savings. Way to go, Awattsi's!

Nordino, a Mozambique worker, faithfully saved his kerosene money for five months to put a tin roof on his house. Because of his success in saving, he could take out a farm loan for just $40 to purchase the tin and get it installed before the rains came in December.

Nordino was excited to give his boys a sturdy roof over their heads. He had never slept in a house with an actual roof growing up, and it was something Nordino wanted to give his family. He is looking forward to his family hearing the sound of rain on their new roof.