For millions of people, the day doesn’t end when the sun goes down—it simply becomes harder.

Without light, simple tasks turn into challenges: cooking, caring for children, fetching water, studying, working, even stepping outside safely. For those living without electricity, the setting sun dictates their schedule, often forcing them to sacrifice productivity, safety, and connection.
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At Unite to Light, we’ve spent over a decade designing and improving solar-powered Luke Lights to meet the needs of those living in energy poverty. But in 2021, we set out to answer a deeper question: How do these lights actually change lives?

In areas without consistent access to electricity, achieving an undisrupted education can be challenging. When electricity is scarce, even basic study tasks become obstacles. Students and teachers in the Bududa, Namisindwa, and Manafwa districts in Uganda express that constant outages and limited access to electricity at home have made it difficult to study in the evening, affecting academic performance and preparation for critical exams to continue their education. As a response, Unite to Light partnered with Arlington Academy of Hope Uganda to distribute 2,000 solar Luke Lights to 38 schools in these districts, aiming to bring students sustainable and affordable lighting, so they can study, learn, and grow without the barrier of darkness. ​