‘Liter of Light’ gets Migrants4Climate recognition

MANILA, Philippines — The Liter of Light project by Filipino social entrepreneur Illac Diaz won the Migrants4Climate award last month.

“We knew we had something here. Something that could work, but something that also made each person realize that they had the power to make a difference,” Diaz said during the awarding ceremony on Jan. 23, on the sidelines of the 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ambassador Maria Theresa Dizon-de Vega, head of the Philippine delegation to the summit, lauded Diaz’s project.

“The Migrant4Climate Award for the Philippines’ Liter of Light project underscores the Filipinos’ resilience, natural tendency to lend a helping hand to others and staunch support for migration advocacies,” De Vega said.

The award recognizes initiatives that migrants and diaspora communities have led or are involved in.

These initiatives have a demonstrated climate action impact at the local level.

The award is granted by the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a cooperation platform for participating governments to work together on global climate change issues.

The Liter of Light project taught communities how to build solar-powered lights using hand-built solar circuits and recycled materials.

The project started in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.