Build and Donate Solar Lamps at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf #SolarSaturdays
I cannot imagine life without light (and water). It is a sad reality that in the Philippines, there are still communities and families living below poverty line with no standard home and electricity – one of the basic rights of every individual.
Without light in every Filipino family’s home, numerous facets of their lives are affected. That is why, when we give them light, in many ways, we believe we give them back their lives.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® celebrated Earth Day by partnering with Liter of Light, a global, grassroots movement committed to providing affordable, sustainable light to people with limited or no access to electricity. Customers of all ages acted as solar engineers by building their own solar-powered lamps for a day, in the hopes of giving the precious gift of light to those in need.
After the workshop, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®’s own Team Members hiked to bring the newly-built solar powered lamps to the Dumagat tribe’s village in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. Their visit gave them the opportunity to witness first-hand the life-altering impact their initiative made on the community. “Light is so valuable. Without it, it is impossible for us to do anything at night. Since we don’t have electricity, we sleep early. We can’t work and the children cannot study,” Councilor Michael Fernando shared. The community was overcome with gratitude for the solar powered lamps they received. “We are so grateful for the lights you have given us. This will always serve as a symbol of light in our hearts and minds,” expressed the community’s Chieftain, Rodolfo Bendebel.
Seeing the difference a light can make in the lives of others, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® was moved to launch #SolarSaturdays, a series of events that gives customers the opportunity to build their own solar powered lamps for only Php 1,000 at select stores every Saturday. Each lamp will provide a renewable source of light for an impoverished Filipino family’s home, changing the way they will see and live for years to come. At the end of the campaign, all lamps collected will be delivered by The Philippine Roadtrip and Liter of Light to communities in far-flung and off-grid areas around the Philippines.
If you are free and interested in making a difference, join the #SolarSaturdays schedule:
September 3 – Ortigas Park
September 10 – Kidzania
September 17 – Convergys at Ayala Avenue
September 24 – UP Ayala Technohub
Email caringcup@coffeebean.com.ph to reserve a slot.
Follow @cbtlph and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on Facebook for more information.
