Nigerian foundation wins top Sharjah award for using plastic waste to light up refugee communities

LightEd Impact Foundation was awarded Dh500,000 for finding clean energy solutions and reducing use of harmful kerosene by 70 per cent

Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi handed over the award to LightEd Impact's co-founder Stanley Anigbogu. Pawan Singh / The National

A Nigerian foundation that converted plastic and e-waste to light up refugee communities and underserved regions across Africa has won a Dh500,000 award in Sharjah.

LightEd Impact Foundation was selected from over 527 candidates from 53 countries for the eighth Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support.

Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, handed over the prize to LightEd Impact's co-founder Stanley Anigbogu at a ceremony held at Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park on Wednesday.

The award, sponsored by The Big Heart Foundation, recognised LightEd's innovative way of repurposing electronic and plastic waste to create portable solar lamps and electric charging stations. It benefitted more than 50,000 underserved African households and helped reduce the use of harmful kerosene by 70 per cent.

“Our work is driven by the belief that when we light up a home, we light up a future,” Mr Anigbogu told The National.

The foundation has so far provided solar lamps for 25,000 students and trained over 2,000 community members in solar technology installation and maintenance.

“When we empower a child with knowledge, we empower a generation. I’m thrilled knowing that we are providing light to those in darkness for a better future,” Mr Anigbogu added.

The award will go towards funding the foundation's next project of “transforming plastic waste into bricks to build solar-powered charging stations for phones”.

And they hope to reach “a million refugees” within “the next five years … It is going to be a very long journey but we dare to dream big”.

How is energy access linked to education

The 24-year-old energy expert, who grew up in Onitsha, Nigeria, experienced the struggles of “energy poverty” growing up when all he had access to was a kerosene lamp or a candle in his home.

“I realised how deeply energy access is connected to education, health and opportunity. In 2021, I started the initiative with $200 by transferring e-waste into solar light,” he added.

“My journey has been filled with moments of profound joy such as watching a child’s face light up with the first glow of clean energy, seeing a mother’s relief as she charges a phone to stay connected to loved ones.”

The foundation has also contributed towards improving healthcare facilities in rural areas. They have used solar energy to power clinics, ensuring that vital services, including refrigeration for vaccines and medical supplies, are available even in the most remote locations.

“These efforts are critical in areas where healthcare delivery has been hampered by the lack of electricity,” he noted.

Mariam Al Hammadi, director general of The Big Heart Foundation, said the humanitarian action has a vital role in overcoming global challenges.

LightEd “has established solar energy stations in remote areas, providing refugee children the opportunity to continue their education and acquire essential skills. It also contributed to establishing safety and security standards, leading to a reduction in various forms of crime, including theft, murder, harassment, and rape”, she said in her speech.

“Our ultimate hope is that this award will no longer be necessary one day. We dream of a world without refugees, where wars in Palestine, Sudan, Lebanon, Yemen, and other nations cease, and where peace prevails,” she added.

“Despite the difficult circumstances in Gaza today, we remain confident that the strength of hope will spark countless initiatives, rallying hundreds and thousands of hands to overcome this crisis.”