Apr 25 2014
One Million Lights, a nonprofit with the goal of improving lives of rural communities around the world through the distribution of solar lights, is the recipient of the Silver Spring Foundation’s inaugural grant for 2014.
The Silver Spring Foundation is a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and acts as the community engagement and charitable giving entity for Silver Spring Networks, Inc..
One Million Lights’ mission is to improve the daily lives of children and adults by replacing kerosene lamps with safe, rechargeable solar lights through its international distribution programs, and raises awareness for the global need for safe, affordable solar light for the 1.3 billion people in the world living without electricity1. In addition, One Million Lights has a community initiative called One Million Students that focuses on developing education materials about renewable energy for K-12 students.
Together, One Million Lights and the Silver Spring Foundation will focus on further developing solar curriculum for K-12 students. It will be made available to schools as a standalone program and will also be integrated into Silver Spring’s smart grid education program, A Smart Energy Future¸ which has been taught in schools from coast to coast. These materials will be available to schools as complete curriculum packages with lessons and activities for elementary, middle and high schools students.
“We are thrilled to partner with One Million Lights in this program. These lessons provide a unique perspective as they leverage stories from One Million Lights’ global distribution around the world. Educating our youth on the benefits of solar energy and engaging within our community aligns with our Foundation’s goals of global energy literacy,” said Christine Yap, Director of the Silver Spring Foundation. “This builds on our smart energy curriculum, one of the first educational programs designed to increase the general public’s understanding of smart energy and help prepare the next generation of citizens for the benefits of the smart grid.”
“This grant benefits both students and teachers and we’re proud to partner with the Silver Spring Foundation on this effort. Students find the content relevant and interesting and teachers love the ready-made material,” said Anna Sidana, Founder and CEO of One Million Lights. “It is critical to increase awareness of smart energy alternatives as the world grapples with the urgent issues of climate change and global warming. Educating our youth from the ground up will equip them with the knowledge and ability to address these issues head on.”