2013 Award Recipient
BenHirschfield
Project Lit! Solar
Project Lit! Solar
One year during Shavuot, the Jewish holiday that celebrates the Torah and its study, Ben learned that students in the developing world often study by the light of kerosene lamps, which puts them at risk for burns, asthma, pneumonia, and breathing in toxic carcinogens. This understanding inspired Ben to create Lit! Solar, a revolving micro-finance fund that helps families replace their dangerous kerosene lamps with safe, emission-free solar lanterns.
Lit! Solar has worked directly with youth to produce a solution that works best for them, providing the benefits of solar lanterns to more than 10,000 people. This effort has prevented thousands of tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.