Chlowa Lights

According to world bank, over 50 million urban residents live in densely populated slums in Nigeria. This figure keeps increasing due to massive urban migration. Also according to the United Nations over 7 million people die yearly of air pollution. 

These urban slum residents face a myriad of challenges such as lack of electricity/darkness and thus, most of them end up using  kerosene lanterns and mini generators which leads to air population which is toxic to their health. 

Chlowa lights solves this problem by  providing sustainable affordable light sources with zero carbon emissions. This solution if scaled globally will positively change the lives of millions by reducing air pollution and the diseases associated with it. It will also improve the physical and mental health (safety) of many. 

1.Problem of Non-communicable diseases caused by air pollution etc - The United Nations states that air pollution kills 800 people every hour and that's over 7 million people every year. UN also stated that 600,000 children die every year and 90% of world population at risk of air pollution. In Nigeria 50 million of urban residents live in congested slums. Due to the lack of electricity/lighting in these urban slums, most residents use kerosene lanterns or mini generators which leads to air pollution in such a densely populated environment hence their hearts and lungs at risk of being damaged. CHLOWA LIGHTS is here to tackle this .

2. Promoting physical/mental safety by decreasing incidence of violence/accidents - Poor lighting/darkness also increases the occurrence of violence/accidents thus making the environment/cities unsafe. Lack of electricity  affects their mental well being because darkness induces stress ,  confusion, agitation and in some cases depression. CHLOWA LIGHTS is here to decreases the occurrence of all these.

Due to massive urban migration, millions of Nigerians are now forced to live in the slums or impoverished areas of the cities characterized with poor infrastructures like lack of electricity/lighting.

According to world bank 50.2% of urban residents in Nigeria live in slums and their lives are posed with life threatening challenges.

On our first visit to Ajegunle area of Lagos state, we interacted and discovered that even in daytime, their houses are covered with darkness due to overcrowding and congestion of the structures so there is no window for ventilation or sunlight to get in. They wallow in darkness even in the daytime and this is heartbreaking. we also came across some residents making use of kerosene lanterns or mini generators  to enable them have light and this gets the whole environment (air) polluted.

They are taking part in this solution by picking plastic bottles littered all over the environment to be used for making Chlowa Lights.

They really need this and were excited at the solution because it will provide them with light yet with zero carbon emissions.

Our solution is to provide sustainable lighting by using a plastic bottle filled with water and chlorine, fitted through the roof of a home to refract sunlight, this has been tested by us and it workes perfectly well in a tropical country like nigeria but has a limitation of not being able to work at night.

We've upgraded this technology by infusing solar garden lamps/panels or LED bulbs to provide lighting even at night. This solution if scaled globally will positively impact/change the lives of millions not just in Nigeria alone but the world at large by providing low cost light sources with zero carbon emission. 

Chlowa light installation and production is the product/service we are providing to the population we're serving and we're also teaching them how to create these light sources themselves using basic equipment. 

We use and employ the technology of refraction, chemistry/chemical engineering, Mechanical /environmental engineering, Manufacturing and design approches. Also we're currently working to upgrade this technology by using energy storage so it can be used at night. We also look forward to finally building something that people from all income bracket can use because it's Eco-friendly. 

Compared to what already exists in some parts of Manilla (Philippines) concerning this technology, we've upgraded this technology to provide light at night through the use of LED bulbs, solar garden lamps and panels. 

This is innovative because it combines several technological ideas and  majority of the materials needed for it's production can be sourced locally. 

Generally,  Chlowa lights is an innovative technology that tackles the problem of darkness/electricity  which significantly reduces CO2 emissions in our environment. 

We use and employ the technology of refraction, chemistry/chemical engineering, Mechanical /environmental engineering, Manufacturing and design approches. Applied by using a plastic bottle filled with water and chlorine, fitted through the roof of a home to refract sunlight. Also we're currently working to upgrade this technology by using energy storage so it can be used at night. We also look forward to finally building something that people from all income bracket can use because it's Eco-friendly. 

Over 100 million Nigerians doing not have electricity and also it's a known fact that millions of people die yearly due to air pollution. 

My solution will address this problem and have currently impacted over 100 lives and families and we're determined to produce and distribute over 1 million Chlowa lights in the next five years. Based on the surveys and interaction with these disadvantaged communities, we are on the right track. 

We're currently serving over 100 individuals and we expect to serve over 100,000 people in the next 1 year. 

Hopefully in the next 5 years with the improved version of this technology , we will be serving over one million lives.

I want to partner with the government and teams like MIT to promote this brilliant innovation all across Nigeria and Africa at large to enable us go into a more larger production scale. 

Also it's our goal to impact over 100,000 lives in the next one year and also determined  to produce / distribute over one million Chlowa lights in the next 5 years.

1.Limited resources and funds to scale up production and make more impacts 

2.Government and non governmental support as regards to marketing and making encouraging policies. 

1.Seeking funds from institutes (like MIT)  and other non-governmental organizations to scale up production.

2. Pilot study to prove the usefulness of this innovation to governments of Nigeria and Africa and hence seek their support. 

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4 brilliant individuals. 

We all possess the scientific knowledge, leadership skills and an excellent entrepreneurial skills.

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We provide value to our key customers (Rural /Urban population, urban slum residents ) by enabling them access healthy lighting thus improving their living conditions through our product Chlowa lights. 

Our marketing strategy is to vigorously engage in social media brand marketing in all digital platforms 

Our path to financial sustainability /revenue model is through selling of Chlowa lights and also through grants and donations from NGO. 

1.To receive mentorship and strategic advice in entrepreneurship and sustainable development 

2.To gain access to funding and funders to be able to increase production scale and impact more lives 

3.To acquire more knowledge and technical through training at MIT for further improvements.

4.To gain social capital through networking /partnership with fellow change makers across the globe. 

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1.MIT

2.Ming Hwei Energy

Will also like to get introduced with other manufacturing and technological organizations. 

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Receiving the prize will enable my team to get the necessary resources needed to spike production for our huge market here in Nigeria and Africa at large thus reduce air pollution making our cities safe and healthy. 

We will also use the prize money to go for further training and get more qualified hands  to improve on our product and service to make it a desirable item for all irrespective of status.

Also need to prize to form partnerships, scale up across boarders and penetrate other African countries. 

Any solution that promotes physical safety inhibits Gun crimes. 

Receiving the prize will enable my team to get the necessary resources needed to spike production for our huge market here in Nigeria and Africa at large thus promote physical/mental safety lighting brings  hence reduce gun crimes. 

We will also use the prize money to go for further training and get more qualified hands  to improve on our product and service to make it a desirable item for all irrespective of status.

Also need to prize to form partnerships, scale up across boarders and penetrate other African countries. 

A solution that promotes physical/mental safety ensures women and other vulnerable population lives comfortably. 

Receiving the prize will enable my team to get the necessary resources needed to spike production for our huge market here in Nigeria and Africa at large thus ensures safety making our cities safe for women.  

We will also use the prize money to go for further training and get more qualified hands  to improve on our product and service to make it a desirable item for all irrespective of status.

Also need to prize to form partnerships, scale up across boarders and penetrate other African countries. 

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