Measuring impacts is hard enough, but have you ever tried to capture your activities in one photo? The International Climate Initiative (IKI) invited all IKI projects and their partners to participate in a photo competition themed „IMPACTS“. Twelve winning photos were selected, among them the SEED Low Carbon Award Winners Un Litro de Luz (Colombia) and Nuru Energy (Uganda). Nuru Energy’s photo "A Brighter Future" even impressed the jury the most and won first place.

The photo by Nuru Energy pictures the value of the innovative LED headlights, a product designed and created by the enterprise. The portable lights can be recharged by human power through the POWERCycle pedal generator. Village-level micro-entrepreneurs are trained to sell these LED lights to their communities and then offer recharging services for a small fee. It takes just 20 minutes to fully recharge 5 Nuru Lights. Nuru Energy’s innovation does not only offer children a means to study at night, it also improves the indoor air quality and prevents respiratory diseases by replacing sooty emissions from kerosene lamps. The environment also benefits from lower carbon emissions due to reduced use of kerosene. Instead, village-level entrepreneurs can earn up to 1.50 USD an hour for recharging services. At the same time, households can save over 90 USD a year compared to using kerosene lamps.

Un Litro de Luz also promotes an alternative lighting system. Their innovation is based on recycled plastic bottles that are filled with pure water and bleach and then fitted on roofs. The enterprise employs women to identify the homes in which the lighting is to be installed, targeting deprived families; women and men are employed equally for the installation. Households are able to save 40 percent on their energy bills. Thousands of plastic bottles are upcycled relieving the pressure on landfills, and 600 tonnes of carbon emissions are saved per year.

The International Climate Initiative (IKI) is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). IKI finances projects in climate change mitigation, adaption to the impacts of climate change and the protection of biological diversity in developing and newly industrialising countries, as well as in countries in transition. Since 2013 IKI and thus the BMUB are partners of SEED.

Have a look at all winners here.