In the Philippines, nearly 2.4 million households still live without electricity.

With 7,641 islands, many too remote to connect to the national grid, electrification in the Philippines is difficult and expensive. Families on remote islands have to rely on hazardous and polluting alternatives like gasoline generators, kerosene lamps, and candles. These threaten health, safety, and livelihoods, while preventing children from studying after dark.

“As a child, I studied under a kerosene lamp. The smoke stung my eyes, and the light was never enough. That memory stays with me, because I know millions of children still face the same struggle today.”

– Jovie Gil Montajes, Founder, Light of Hope PH

Light of Hope PH set out with a simple but powerful idea: what if families could power their homes without relying on kerosene or expensive generators?

Their answer was the Solar Cloudgrid unit  a portable, waterproof battery powered by the sun. Affordable enough to cost less than kerosene, yet powerful enough to light homes and charge phones, two small changes that make a world of difference to a household’s daily life.

By offering these units through a low-cost subscription model, Light of Hope made clean energy cheaper than kerosene. This meant parents could redirect their spending from fuel to food, schooling, and other essentials, while children could finally study after dark without straining their eyes under a smoky lamp.

But the innovation doesn’t stop at technology. Every community is paired with a “village champion”, a local trained to provide support, repairs, and maintenance. This ensures households are never left in the dark, and the enterprise stays connected with the people it serves. To date, more than 500 households have transitioned from hazardous fuels to clean solar power, building healthier and more resilient communities.

To help Light of Hope PH grow sustainably, AirAsia Foundation awarded a grant to pilot a lease-to-own model on the islands of Caubian and Pangan-an.

Through this approach, 50 families will not only gain access to solar power, but eventually own their units outright.

Ownership shifts the story from dependency to empowerment. Families will enjoy long-term savings and stability, while Light of Hope continues to provide repair, maintenance, and e-waste services at a minimal fee to keep the technology working and responsibly managed.

This grant also helps Light of Hope PH accelerate its business growth and move closer to breakeven, paving the way to scale clean energy access to thousands more households in the years ahead.