Light Up The World: Powering Change in Huarcaya, Peru

As we begin our new impact partnership with Light Up The World (LUTW) we wanted to bring to life the real world change they make by showcasing a recent project of theirs.

Overview

With the support of partnerships such as ours, LUTW continues to transform lives across remote regions of Peru through clean energy, digital connectivity, and local empowerment. For their project in Huarcaya this past February, Canadian students travelled to set up and provide solar power and satellite internet to the community. This demonstrates the power of sustainable energy solutions to open opportunities, strengthen public health, and build lasting global connections.

The Impact:

1. Over 100 Students Gained Light and Tech in Huarcaya
In the remote village of Huarcaya, Peru, over 120 children now have access to light, internet, and computers, thanks to LUTW’s solar installations and connectivity initiatives. For this project, Canadian students from SAIT and NAIT installed solar panels, a satellite internet system, and a computer lab, enabling children to study after dark and opening new possibilities for digital learning and growth.

2. Solar Water Heating for Health and Comfort in the Andes
As part of the same project, LUTW piloted a solar hot water system, providing hot showers to both students and teachers. Beyond comfort, this initiative supports better hygiene and reduces the spread of illness in high-altitude areas where cold water discourages regular handwashing.

3. Protecting Health Through Solar-Powered Vaccine Refrigeration and Emergency Connectivity
In regions without grid access, maintaining vaccines is nearly impossible. LUTW’s solar installations now allow rural clinics to safely store vaccines, ensuring that health services like COVID jabs and routine immunizations can reach even the most remote populations. Thanks to access to electricity and internet, health workers can now communicate with other villages and health centers to coordinate treatments, consult on specific medical cases, and even organise emergency evacuations when needed. This reliable energy access is saving lives and strengthening rural healthcare systems.

4. Recognising Local Leadership: The Local Technician Empowerment Program
Our innovative partnership with Spencer Ogden will fund and train local technicians to install, maintain, and lead solar and connectivity systems while providing shared internet and electricity to their communities.

5. Tangible Impact in Numbers

494 community members gained access to electricity and sustainable internet

16 teachers now empowered to teach 124 students with digital tools

20 classrooms and living spaces equipped with solar power and connectivity

2MWH produced in the first 6 months of operation avoiding over 2.6 tonnes of CO2

6. Building Global Citizenship Among Volunteers
The students who engaged in LUTW’s project report profound personal growth: stepping outside their comfort zone, learning humility, teamwork, and leadership.

Why This Matters

Impact Area	What It Means
Education & Opportunity	Light and internet access enables students to study, learn, and connect with the wider world breaking cycles of isolation and the digital divide.
Community Health	Reliable refrigeration and lighting at clinics support better vaccine delivery, safer births, and stronger health systems.
Local Sustainability	Training community members ensures long-term independence and the ability to maintain systems themselves.
Empowerment & Equity	Projects driven by local leadership create ownership, resilience, and future capacity in communities.
Cross-Cultural Learning	Volunteers gain global awareness, engineering experience, and intercultural understanding.

LUTW is expanding its partnerships and scaling projects across the Peruvian Andes and Amazon to bring sustainable energy, opportunity, and dignity to more communities. Spencer Ogden is excited to be a part of this and see the impact we make through our internal initiatives that result in donations to LUTW through promotions, our peer recognition scheme and tenure milestones.

You can donate directly to LUTW here.