Empowering Turkey and Ukraine with Solar Light and Power

Summary

In 2023, SoLight Design committed to sending 30,000 donated SoLights to Ukraine and Turkey to support residents impacted by conflict and disaster who are living without consistent access to electricity. SoLights are personal devices thoughtfully designed to provide individualized access to solar energy. Their origami design differentiates Solar Lights from other similar products by eliminating the need for a mouth nozzle to inflate, and easily transforming from a flat polygon into cube and pyramid shapes with a simple pull-open action. These transportable lights also have phone charging capacity to provide consistent accessibility and light and power for cellular and small devices like tablets or laptops. SoLight will coordinate delivery of SoLights to the many villages on the eastern frontline Ukraine that have been severely impacted by war. In conjunction, SoLight will deliver lights to families and children without power in Turkey, focusing on delivery to aid centers, orphanages, and community organizations for effective distribution.

Approach

SoLight Design commits to sending 30,000 donated SoLights to Ukraine and Turkey to support residents impacted by conflict and disaster who are living without consistent access to electricity. SoLights are personal devices thoughtfully designed to provide individualized access to solar energy. Their origami design differentiates Solar Lights from other similar products by eliminating the need for a mouth nozzle to inflate, and easily transforming from a flat polygon into cube and pyramid shapes with a simple pull-open action.

These transportable lights also have phone charging capacity to provide consistent accessibility and light and power for cellular and small devices like tablets or laptops. Working in coordination with local non-profits, hospitals, and government officials, SoLight will coordinate delivery of 15,000 SoLights to the many villages on the eastern frontline that have been severely impacted by war. Having already delivered thousands of lights throughout the region, So-Light has existing relationships with local government and nonprofit entities who will support in distribution.

In conjunction, SoLight will deliver an additional 15,000 SoLights to families and children without power in Adana, Turkey who were impacted by the earthquake and are currently living without power. Delivery will be focused on aid centers, orphanages, and community organizations for effective distribution. Representatives from So-Light will travel directly to Ukraine and Turkey to deliver lights in partnership with existing aid organizations on the ground.

Action Plan

March to April 2023: Connect with organizations on the ground in Ukraine and Turkey to coordinate light delivery.

April to May 2023: Travel to Ukraine to deliver SoLight products.

May to June 2023: Travel to Turkey to deliver SoLight products.

June to December 2023: Develop communications about impacts of SoLight delivery, do interviews, promote on social media, etc; connect with organizations globally to fundraise for additional SoLight products.

December 2023 to December 2024: Coordinate and execute delivery of SoLight products to Ukraine and Turkey, in coordination with partners on the ground in those countries.

Background

Turkey and Syria are reeling as the death toll continues to climb after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the region in February 2023, with just under 60,000 confirmed casualties and more than 100,000 injured across the two countries. According to the World Health Organization, 23 million people are displaced by the disaster. Disasters like this cause widespread loss of electricity, creating significant challenges for safety and recovery. Women and children are especially vulnerable.

Additionally, political conflicts that lead to violence and instability in regions create inconsistent access to electricity for residents and can create dangerous situations for individuals. In Ukraine, due to bombing of infrastructure – particularly power stations – in the ongoing conflict with Russia, residents in Lviv and Kyiv (as well as others across the country) are experiencing frequent blackouts for as much as 4-8 hours a day and unstable electricity access. The combination of air raids and black outs that leads to unstable, intermittent electricity access, creates significant emotional trauma for children and families, and severely limits important economic and personal activity.

Providing access to light to people experiencing the impacts of recent natural disasters or conflict is a central component of humanitarian response.

Progress Update

Solight Design remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine through the continued delivery of sustainable solar lighting.
In December 2024, Solight successfully completed another round of solar light shipments to Ukraine. To date there have been 75,000 units delivered and distributed to date. These deliveries provided thousands of individuals and families—many of whom remain displaced or without reliable electricity—with clean, safe, and portable lighting solutions. The lights were distributed in partnership with local NGOs and relief organizations on the ground, ensuring they reached communities most in need, including those in frontline and recently liberated areas.
The impact of these lights continues to be profound. With no need for batteries or fuel, Solight’s solar lanterns offer immediate and sustainable relief to individuals living in areas affected by infrastructure damage and power outages. They also improve safety, particularly for women and children, and allow for nighttime mobility and study, even during blackouts.
Looking ahead, Solight Design is preparing for an additional major shipment of solar lights scheduled for August 2025. This upcoming delivery will build on the momentum and strengthen our ongoing partnership with humanitarian aid groups working in Ukraine. Solight’s focus remains on scalable impact—ensuring that their solar lights serve both immediate and long-term needs as Ukraine continues to recover and rebuild.
Through the generous support of donors and the resilience of our partners, Solight remains dedicated to illuminating lives and bringing hope through solar innovation. The commitment will continue to prioritize Ukraine in our global humanitarian efforts as long as the need persists.

Partnership Opportunities

Financial resources,Implementing partners and best practice information for disaster response