Company Donates Innovative Solar Lights as an Alternative to Dangerous Kerosene Lamps
Press Release — Thursday December 18, 9:00 am ET
SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Anna Sidana is 15,000 steps closer to her goal of providing light to the homes of one million children in India and Africa, thanks to a holiday donation by her employer, eBay Inc. (Nasdaq:EBAY – News).
Palo Alto-based Sidana, founder of the One Million Lights non-profit, onemillionlights.org, created the organization earlier this year with a goal of distributing one million safe, environmentally sound solar-powered LED lights to the homes of children in the poorest regions of the world. The “MightyLight” is specially designed to work in rugged, rural areas where electricity is unpredictable or non-existent. The MightyLight offers a safe alternative to more dangerous and expensive kerosene lamps often used in developing nations.
“In many parts of the world, safe, adequate light at home is a luxury few people can afford,” said John Donahoe, president and CEO of eBay Inc. “Once we learned of Anna’s mission, we immediately knew we wanted to help. eBay empowers entrepreneurs, and Anna is a social entrepreneur who has identified a simple solution to a complex problem. eBay is thrilled to help Anna make a difference in so many children’s lives.”
Sidana is the director of financial products at PayPal, an eBay company.
“I am from India, and I have seen first-hand the importance education plays in providing opportunity to young people,” said Sidana. “My father started a school in India 45 years ago, and when I visited it with my own children in 2003, it was so clear that something as simple as adequate light at home would allow students to get so much more out of their educations. I knew that giving them safe, environmentally-sound light would have a profound impact.”
Cosmos Ignite Innovations, a company made up of young socially-conscious entrepreneurs from India and Stanford University, developed MightyLight.
To learn more about One Million Lights, buy a light, or make a donation, visit onemillionlights.org.
