Innovation
We design and build our own solutions instead of buying ready-made products off the shelf.
Energy that is sustainable, affordable and practical
Innovation, sustainability and social responsibility — working together for a lasting impact.
Spark of Hope is a student-led initiative focused on developing sustainable, affordable and practical energy provision and solutions for communities with limited access and resources for reliable electricity.
Our goal is to combine innovation, sustainability and social responsibility to create solutions that can have a meaningful, lasting and promising impact on communities.
The initiative is currently focused on two connected areas: the development of a low-cost, sustainable lighting prototype, and the long-term development of a community-scale solar energy project in Honduras.
What we stand for
Three things we combine
Sustainability
Renewable energy and materials come first, so the solution keeps working long after it's delivered.
Social responsibility
Everything is shaped by the needs and feedback of the communities that need it.
The problem
Reliable electricity is still out of reach for many
Reliable electricity access remains an important development challenge in many places worldwide. Although global electricity access has risen, many people still live without it.
Remote and lower-income communities face particular challenges in accessing electricity infrastructure, which is what makes renewable-energy solutions so relevant.
Honduras
Honduras has made significant progress in electricity access, but access to energy and sustainable infrastructure still remains an important development priority.
That's where our first prototype went, and where our community solar project is focused.
We believe solutions to these challenges should be designed with affordability, sustainability and the needs of local communities in mind.
Our approach
Make it. Test it. Improve it.
Rather than simply giving out products, we aim to make solutions ourselves, analyse and evaluate their effectiveness, and continuously improve them.
Make
Research what exists, understand its limits, and design something better ourselves.
Evaluate
Test carefully and measure how well the solution actually works in real conditions.
Improve
Use feedback from communities and partner organisations to make the next version better.