Lighting Hope in a Plastic Bottle

Abida Rahman Chowdhury and Sakib Ahmed

A liter of light- this very concept lights up your room, your home and your lives. This movement involves the very ingenious and practical techniques of capitalising on used plastic bottle, water and the direct sun light which give light equivalent to a 55 watt electric bulb without any electricity consumption.

CHANGE is a youth-based organisation, founded by Sajid Iqbal, aiming to spread out 'botol bati', an initiative to nationwide reduce C02 emission, reduce misuse of electricity and to ensure proper daytime lighting facility for the unprivileged people to meet the energy crisis. Recently, CHANGE has received the global partnership of Liter of Light. Liter of Light is a global initiative on solar bottle light which has its activity in 11 countries all around the world. The main objective of this joint venture is to promote environment friendly solar bottle light (botol bati) and to train local community people for the installation.

To take this initiative even further, CHANGE has organised a seven day programme, with the support of BRAC, Liter of Light Switzerland, North South University and Abdul Monem Ltd, which was held from November 1-7, 2012, broken down in various sessions. A team of four members of Liter of Light, Switzerland visited Bangladesh aiming to initiate contact and co-operation between CHANGE and the international community of Liter of Light.

The second day went by in the purchasing of the materials needed to assemble and install the bottle lights which require merely simple materials like corrugated tin sheets and silicon glue as the rest of the building materials are regular household items.

Youngsters involved with the project Botol Bati.

The next day, the work began with the Swiss team along with twenty members of CHANGE slaving on the construction of as many solar lights as possible for the upcoming installments.

In addition, a two day workshop was organised at North South University with the support of Earth Club from November 4-5, 2012. Here, a demonstration of the concept of installment procedure, and use of the solar lights was given.

The first day of the workshop at NSU was a huge success attracting massive number of students, faculty members and authorities who were also invited to attend the seminar which was to be held the next day.

On the second day, the seminar broke all expectations, bringing in an enormous crowd of about 200 students. It was also graced by the presence of three esteemed faculty members, Professors ATM Nurul Amin, Dr Md Sirajul Islam and Mr Mehedi Hussain.

In the seminar, Sajid Iqbal, representing CHANGE and Patrick, representing the Swiss Liter of Light team, gave presentations on the advancements and the roles they play.

On November 6, 2012 the Swiss team, with a group from Bangladesh, visited Karail slum in Mohakhali with BRAC to observe the potentiality of the project in Bangladesh and installed the first bottle light there. Later, they visited the JAAGO Foundation School for bottle installation.

CHANGE was officially launched at the end of the seven day programme which was held at the city's Edward M Kennedy Centre. Chief guest Rokia Afzal Rahman, Former Adviser to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh along with Special Guest ASM Mainuddin Monem, Deputy Managing Director of Abdul Monem Ltd and president of Liter of Light Swirzerland, Rene Eber and President of CHANGE, Sajid Iqbal were present to grace the occasion. Rokia Afzal Rahman stated that the project will ensure light for all in the country. While Monem said that the environmental friendly power will make our life easy and that only the youth can make this world a better place for everyone. The whole event was received with great enthusiasm.

Throughout the whole week, CHANGE conducted various meetings with GIZ, the Swiss Development Corporation, BRAC, JAAGO and Liter of Light Switzerland for further support for project implementation nationwide to spread out light to every household.

In parting, it is obvious that the solar bottle light is an answer to the severe energy crisis of our country providing slum dwellers with a 'Liter of Light'.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kurt Angle

American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and occasional actor, Kurt Angle was born on December 9, 1968 (turning 44 today!). He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He is also known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (WWF/E), and for being the only Olympic wrestling gold medalist in the history of professional wrestling. Angle was involved in amateur wrestling during both high school and college. In college at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, he won numerous accolades, including being a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I champion. After graduating, he won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships. Angle then competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where he won a gold medal in heavyweight freestyle wrestling. Kurt Angle is also one of only four people to complete a Grand Slam in amateur wrestling which is the junior nationals, the NCAAs, the World Championships and the Olympics. He was named the greatest shoot wrestler and one of the top 15 college wrestlers of all time by USA Wrestling!

Information Source: Internet