Lightsource Foundation
Lightsource bp has always been about more than just profit. We also have a responsibility to pass our success back to communities in need of support. Giving back is something we take seriously – it’s written through our corporate social responsibility, company culture, and our personal values.
What is the Lightsource Foundation?
In 2014 we created the Lightsource Foundation. The aim was to raise £100,000 each year for communities in desperate need of support.
We knew we couldn’t do it alone, so partnered with World Vision to help deliver our dreams of making a difference. Now, together, we’re working towards a better future for communities across the world.
Lightsource Foundation fundraising
Working with World Vision, we have helped transform thousands of lives by raising money through child sponsorship, payroll giving and fundraising events.
Our recent fundraising events include:
- Global Walk for Water – 6k walk for water-poverty awareness
- Global auction – raising nearly £10,000 in under three hours
- Hever Castle Triathlon – 7 teams raised £825 by swimming, cycling and running in the triathlon
- Easter and Halloween bake offs
Payroll Giving Quality Mark Award
In 2023, Lightsource bp received Platinum Payroll Giving Quality Mark Award from Charities Trust. This was in recognition of 20% of our UK team members giving money to charity through Payroll Giving, a scheme that is also offered globally. When donations are made through Payroll Giving to the Lightsource Foundation, Lightsource bp match this and double it.
Koas Krala, Cambodia
Between 2014 and 2021, the focus of the Foundation was to the people and communities in Koas Krala, Cambodia.
Alongside local volunteers, our long-term projects were designed to develop and transform the community, addressing the biggest challenges they face. Our main areas of focus were education, health and nutrition, and child protection.
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Highlights of our work in Cambodia
Installed 3 PV solar systems
In north-western Cambodia, electrical energy is a luxury commodity. We gifted three PV-solar panel and storage systems to primary and secondary schools, and a health clinic. This has saved over 50% a year on energy costs to reinvest in local facilities. It also provides continued power to vital services during power cuts, including running lights, water pumps and air conditioning in birthing suites without interruption.
Reading groups and teacher training
As not all children can attend school, The Unlock Literacy programme supports children to flourish at home and in the wider community. Children are given access to inclusive, interactive reading clubs; parents are taught how to create good reading habits and environments – like colourful reading corners; and teachers are offered quality teacher-training.
Cooking classes
Many children are cared for by elderly grandparents, as their parents migrate in search of job opportunities. Many of this generation have limited knowledge or access to nutritious food. The Foundation provides classes to teach about cooking nutritious food and enable knowledge sharing throughout the community.
Vocational training
The search for a consistent income is one of the main reasons for family break-ups in the region, with many travelling to Thailand in search of work. With agricultural training and support from World Vision, more people can remain in Koas Krala with their family.
Lightsource Foundation’s impact in Koas Krala
- 100% school enrolment across 23 schools
- Drop-out rates decreased from 7% to 3% (2007-2020)
- 14 active reading camps
- 23 schools fully equipped and supporting children’s learning
- 400+ young people participating in One Goal – improving their leadership and decision-making skills
- Youth safer from migration and child labour
- Decrease in malnutrition
- More mothers giving birth safely
- 18,805 people, including 5,773 children supported with COVID-19 PPE and sanitation
- 250+ families supported with food and cash vouchers
- Provided 1,540 solar powered torches!
Sarlahi, Nepal
Since 2021, the focus of the Lightsource Foundation has been on helping the most vulnerable children in Sarlahi, Nepal.
Sarlahi is in one of the poorest provinces of Nepal. We entered on day-one of the programme, with the main focus in the first couple of years to acclimatise to the local needs, build relations with the community, and tackle the most urgent of crises – sanitisation and child safety.
Our focus in Sarlahi
The leading causes of child mortality in Sarlahi are tuberculosis, meningitis and malnutrition – all preventable and treatable.
Child marriage is also widespread, and strongly associated with poverty, the dowry system, and gender-based violence.
But the great news is that we are joining World Vision on the ground from day-one of a 15-year programme. This means we have the opportunity to support real, systemic change in the quality of people’s lives!
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Lightsource Foundation hits £1million milestone
This year has been another record-breaking year for the Lightsource Foundation. We are extremely proud to have hit our target of fundraising £1,000,000 by 2023!
Partnering with World Vision enables us to use these funds to support communities in so many ways. This was brought to life during our incredible trip to Sarlahi in Nepal, earlier this year.
The continued support from our team members across the world has made this possible and we can’t wait to see what we achieve next. This is only the beginning.
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About us
We are Lightsource bp – a global leader in solar development, management and operations. For over a decade we’ve been harnessing sunlight to help power our world in a clean, sustainable and responsible way.
Power of solar
The energy landscape is changing. At Lightsource bp, we believe renewable energy is the future. And that future is now. As a global leader, we’ve spent the past decade driving solar forward and we’re not stopping any time soon.