Light Up The World

Light Up The World Light Up The World (LUTW) is a Canadian non-profit providing access to solar energy for rural Peru.

Light Up The World (LUTW) is a Canadian non-profit organization focused on the principle that access to energy changes lives. We implement renewable energy projects in remote, un-electrified villages where often the only option families have to light their homes is to burn kerosene. Access to clean energy for lighting and communications is transformational for families living in poverty. It create

s a healthy and safe home environment, enhances opportunities for education and contributes to economic development by increasing disposable income and encouraging entrepreneurship. Our project approach emphasizes building partnerships with local organizations, training and local ownership - all vital achieving sustainable development impacts.

At the end of April, a group of NAIT students travelled to Peru with LUTW to help install a solar energy system for a sc...
05/28/2026

At the end of April, a group of NAIT students travelled to Peru with LUTW to help install a solar energy system for a school in the remote community of Pedregal.

Beyond the technical work, the experience was also about connection, culture, and unforgettable memories.

From sharing delicious Peruvian food with the community to attending a soccer match in Lima, the trip became much more than just a project abroad. 💛⚽

Thank you to the students, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this experience possible.

Charity

⛳ Toronto Area Friends - Join us for the 2026 LUTW Invitational Golf Tournament!A great day of golf, reconnecting with f...
05/21/2026

⛳ Toronto Area Friends - Join us for the 2026 LUTW Invitational Golf Tournament!

A great day of golf, reconnecting with friends, and supporting meaningful impact around the world.

This annual tournament brings together former colleagues, friends, supporters, and members of the LUTW community for a fun and relaxed day, with the added purpose of supporting Light Up The World’s work bringing solar energy and internet access to remote communities.

📍 Westview Golf Club
📅 September 30, 2026
🍴 Lunch: 11:45 AM
🏌️ First Tee Time: 1:15 PM
Format: Texas Scramble

Prizes include:
🏆 Longest Drive
🏆 Closest to the Pin
🏆 Winning Team
Green Fees: $90
Optional Donation to LUTW: $50

Whether you join for golf, lunch, or both, we’d love to see you there.

Donations: https://lutw.org/donate-csr-charitable-giving/

Please feel free to share this with anyone who would enjoy the day!

💡 Innovation is not just happening in tech hubs and skyscrapers.Sometimes, it’s happening at 4,000 meters in the Andes o...
05/15/2026

💡 Innovation is not just happening in tech hubs and skyscrapers.
Sometimes, it’s happening at 4,000 meters in the Andes of Peru, where a remote community with no roads, unstable electricity, and zero connectivity suddenly has solar power and high-speed internet.

That’s the kind of innovation we work on at LUTW.
Not just installing panels.

Building fully sustainable systems that communities can actually maintain long-term.

Remote monitoring. Smart energy management. Satellite internet. A self-sustaining voucher system developed with NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) that allows communities to keep internet running independently for as little as $4 USD per month.

Technology that works in places where most systems fail.

This Innovation Week, we celebrate the engineers, students, volunteers, donors, and communities helping prove that innovation should reach everyone, not only the places already connected.

05/07/2026

💛 Community is powerful.

A few simple initiatives have already turned into meaningful support for communities in need of electricity, internet, and educational opportunities.

Thanks to the initiative of Heather Setka and Michal Šida, and the incredible support of our LUTW community, we’ve successfully reached our fundraising goals. ⚡

This May, Heather and a group of Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) students will travel to Pedregal, Peru, where they’ll help bring solar energy and internet to the community, and thanks to this fundraiser, support one student in continuing their education after high school.

It takes approximately $2,000 CAD to support one student’s post-secondary education journey. Additional donations can help us support even more students and create more opportunities for their future.

👉 Link in bio for donations to support one more student.

At the same time, Michal has been training and fundraising through the Calgary Marathon, showing how one person taking action can inspire an entire community.

If you’ve ever thought about doing something meaningful, starting a fundraiser, or supporting a cause that creates real impact, we’d love to work together. Just reach out to us and we can coordinate together.

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared, volunteered, and believed in this mission.

Peru StudentSupport LightUpTheWorld SolarEnergyCharity CanadianCharity

Last week we had a wonderful evening at Chilitos, sharing great food, stories, and even better company.It was special to...
04/30/2026

Last week we had a wonderful evening at Chilitos, sharing great food, stories, and even better company.

It was special to be joined by Dr. Dave and Ken (LUTW Founder & Co-Founder), as well as SAIT students with Heather and Shashi, who are preparing to travel to Peru soon for their volunteering expedition. ⚡
We were also joined by a few more members of the LUTW community, including Michal, who is currently supporting LUTW through his fundraising run initiative, our Board Chair Grady, and others who continue to champion our mission in different ways.

Moments like these remind us that LUTW is not just about projects abroad, it’s about the community we build here at home too.

Thank you to everyone who came and made the evening so special. 💛

We’ll be hosting another gathering in September, so stay tuned, we’d love to see you there!

✈️🌍 Double Your Impact This Earth Week with AeroplanWe’re proud to be featured as part of Air Canada Aeroplan’s Corporat...
04/19/2026

✈️🌍 Double Your Impact This Earth Week with Aeroplan

We’re proud to be featured as part of Air Canada Aeroplan’s Corporate Partnership Program, and this Earth Week, you can help us go even further.

From April 20–26, Aeroplan will match member donations up to 500,000 points, doubling the impact of every contribution.

Your points help bring solar energy and internet to remote communities, powering health clinics, schools, and homes where access to energy can change everything. ⚡

This campaign is already off to a strong start, with Aeroplan contributing points to help launch the initiative, and your support will help turn that momentum into real impact on the ground.

👉 Donate your Aeroplan points here:
https://donatepoints.aircanada.com/eng/charity/1554

🚑🏥 This past Tuesday, April 7, was World Health DayThe first photo, taken years ago in Papua New Guinea, reflects the re...
04/09/2026

🚑🏥 This past Tuesday, April 7, was World Health Day

The first photo, taken years ago in Papua New Guinea, reflects the reality many communities once faced, and in some places, still do.

Access to healthcare should never depend on something as basic as light or connectivity.

For nearly 30 years, LUTW has been working to change that. From our early projects in Papua New Guinea to recent work in the Andes of Peru, we’ve helped bring solar energy and internet to health clinics serving thousands of people.

Here are photos from a clinic in Papua New Guinea and the Huarcaya clinic, where our volunteers recently worked.

Thank you to all the volunteers, donors, and supporters who have stood with us for nearly 30 years. Your generosity has changed lives in ways that are hard to fully see or understand.. reaching further, and meaning more, than you may ever realize.

SolarEnergyCharity CanadianNonProfit

🚑🏥 This past Tuesday, April 7, was World Health DayThe first photo, taken years ago in Papua New Guinea, reflects the re...
04/09/2026

🚑🏥 This past Tuesday, April 7, was World Health Day

The first photo, taken years ago in Papua New Guinea, reflects the reality many communities once faced, and in some places, still do.

Access to healthcare should never depend on something as basic as light or connectivity.

For nearly 30 years, LUTW has been working to change that. From our early projects in Papua New Guinea to recent work in the Andes of Peru, we’ve helped bring solar energy and internet to health clinics serving thousands of people.

Here are photos from a clinic in Papua New Guinea and the Huarcaya clinic, where our volunteers recently worked.

Thank you to all the volunteers, donors, and supporters who have stood with us for nearly 30 years. Your generosity has changed lives in ways that are hard to fully see or understand.. reaching further, and meaning more, than you may ever realize.

Looking back at the early years of Light Up The World, we want to take a moment to recognize one of the key individuals ...
04/03/2026

Looking back at the early years of Light Up The World, we want to take a moment to recognize one of the key individuals who helped shape the organization we are today.

Building on the work of our founder Dr. Dave Irvine-Halliday and his wife Jenny in demonstrating the transformative potential of small-scale solar lighting systems in rural Nepal, Ken Robertson played a leading role in formalizing LUTW’s structure as a registered Canadian charity and scaling LUTW to make a truly global impact.

As co-founder of the Light Up The World Foundation in 2002 and the first operations lead, Ken led the development of LUTW’s legal, governance, and international project framework. During this period, LUTW expanded across multiple regions, contributing to the adoption of solar lighting, community energy systems, and productive-use energy solutions in remote communities worldwide, including award-winning projects in Africa, Asia and South America.

Ken has gone on to lead a wide range of renewable energy and community development programs, and he serves as a project advisor and instructor at institutions including University of Alberta and University of Calgary.

As part of ongoing efforts to capture and share LUTW’s history, Ken is supporting the documentation of our early projects and their impacts, helping to preserve LUTW’s institutional knowledge and legacy.

We are grateful to Ken and to all those who have contributed to advancing energy access and improving lives in underserved communities.

Thank you, Ken Robertson, for your foundational contributions in the early years and for your continued support today in preserving and sharing LUTW’s history and impact.

Calgary Friends, Come Hang Out with LUTW!We’re hosting a casual get-together at Chilitos Mexican Restaurant and you’re i...
04/03/2026

Calgary Friends, Come Hang Out with LUTW!

We’re hosting a casual get-together at Chilitos Mexican Restaurant and you’re invited!
Whether you're a past volunteer, donor, student, or someone curious about what we do, this is our chance to connect and meet others passionate about clean energy, social impact, and meaningful travel.

📍 Chilitos Taberna (Los Chilitos Taco & Tequila House) is located at 1309 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 0C4.
Thursday, April 23
6:00 PM ‘til we run out of stories

Drinks, great company, and inspiring conversations guaranteed. Bring a friend, bring your questions, or just come say hi!

👉 Please RSVP so we can get a sense of numbers: [email protected]

Who's in? 😎 ☀️

Address

PO Box 16039 Lower Mount Royal SW
Calgary, AB
T2T5H7

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14032665004

Website

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