Making the world a little brighter!

The Scene

Switzerland: late October 2011; a crowded, small and gloomy room at the University of St.Gallen; A group of Graduate SIM-students ise in the middle of a heated discussion…

[…]

Student A: You’re kidding right? You want to make light using old plastic bottles?

Student B: Yes, That’s what I just said.

Student C: But come on, how could that possibly work?!

Student A: I don’t see it happening…

Student B: It’s simple, just.. [interrupted]

Student C: It can’t be that simple. Seriously, I don’t think it can work.

Student A: I agree, it sounds pretty complex!!

Student B: Alright guys, I’ll show you a short video…

[10 minutes later]

-Let’s do this team! Let’s bring light to people’s homes using old plastic bottles!

Say what?

If you are now wondering – as we did back then – how this could possibly work, continue reading our blog and you will find out how we are on our way to achieving an ambitious goal:

“Supporting a local Colombian organization in bringing light to over 150,000 underprivileged families by 2014, using old plastic bottles!”

Who is we?

“Alright” you say, “but who exactly is we?”  WE are ten students studying Strategy and International Management at the HSG in Switzerland. We are a mixed bag of goodies: six guys, four girls, from six countries, a soccer fanatic, a youth sailor, a former professional track athlete, a chemic, a financier, an economist, two entrepreneurs, two volunteers for NGOs, a former president of the student union, etc. And yet we have one thing in common: we truly believe we can improve the lives of many people with this project!

What has been done so far?

Putting our diverse set of skills to use, we have already founded a non-profit association called “Liter of Light Switzerland”. We have also been able to establish our first working relationships with local NGOs and we are currently working on fixing flights to Colombia for February 2012.

I still have questions?

“That’s all fine” you say, “but how exactly can a plastic bottle illuminate a person’s house and life?” We say: “Check out our Facebook webpage to find out more about how a `solar bottle bulb´ produces up to 55 Watts!”