In 2012 MPOWERD created Luci.

MPOWERD is a Brooklyn-based B Corp whose mission is to empower as many people as possible by making personal, clean energy products that are innovative, easy to use,  sustainable and affordable, no matter where or how you live.

One example is Luci, pictured throughout the post, an inflatable solar light for any situation and especially for people in developing countries without electricity.

Luci harnesses the sun’s energy, putting the power into a device that fits in the palm of your hand. With Luci, the brand wants to empower the three billion people around the world who still live without reliable access to electricity.

Luci is clean and safe—pretty much the opposite of the toxic and expensive kerosene lamps so many people in underdeveloped countries depend on—and doesn’t turn off when the sun goes down.

Seungah Jeong, president and CEO, has spent her career shaping global brands and driving them toward success, and she is passionate about the potential companies have to create positive impact. Her team deployed more than 80,000 solar lights in the brand’s most recent Giving Back initiative to Puerto Rico—still working to restore normalcy after Hurricane Maria hit seven months ago.

Jeong, pictured left, along with Co-Founder John Salzinger, visited the island last March to connect with their on-the-ground partners who are distributing Luci lights to the hardest hit areas.

“There continue to be brownouts almost every day, even in the capital city San Juan. Imagine trying to re-establish your business without electricity? Further, out in the more rural region of Ciales, we met a thirteen-year-old boy who charges his Luci every day before school so that he and his mother can have light each night in the one room of their home that still stands.” — John Salzinger, co-founder, MPOWERD

MPOWERD’s work with Save the Children is a powerful example of how a personal solar light can fill a void when infrastructure is down.

“Our company offers both immediate and longer-term relief by providing reliable, waterproof and durable inflatable solar lights to individuals and families in need. MPOWERD joined forces with incredible partners like All Hands, All Hearts — an organization focused on a smart response strategy to help speed up recovery after natural disasters. Together with our partners, we can help build resilience while preparing communities in Puerto Rico for future events.” — Seungah Jeong, CEO

To learn more go here. Photos courtesy MPOWERD