‘Power’ to the people

Illac Diaz, whom we met at Italy’s Republic Day celebration on 3 June, is all about changing the game or, in his own words recently, “changing the narrative” when it comes to climate change.

The “climate hero” is behind Liter of Light, an NGO or grassroots social enterprise that aims to “solve energy poverty.”

What it does, according to a quite enlightening backgrounder on him by the Asia Property Awards, is “promote simple DIY technology to help people living in rural areas with limited or no access to electricity create affordable and sustainable solar light.”

They call it “green skills.”

At a time when power interruptions and even water shortages are becoming more common occurrences than anyone would care for (but should care about more), groups like Liter of Light, which changed the game for millions of lives when it started to provide solar lights to the most rural areas around the world, deserve all the support they can get.

Diaz has been written about so many times, it’s enough to skim through Google to get a sense of the man’s accomplishments. He doesn’t like to be called Batman as some may be tempted to do as Illac was born into a wealthy family. He has worked as an actor and model, and possibly unnerved a lot of people for choosing to use his mind and skills to zero in on a cause that would benefit the poorest and the helpless.

“We’ve illuminated one million lives a year across more than 30 countries since 2013, working with over 650 women’s cooperatives and thousands of volunteers,” the NGO says on its website.

Diaz took up economics and earned a Master’s in entrepreneurship. He likely found his purpose after embarking on his first social project — Pier One, a type of dormitory for sailors who used to have no decent place to stay when they were in between contracts. That project grew into something more, where he taught these sailors “how to build their own home” under the initiative they named Centro Migrante.

Like his endeavor Liter of Light, Diaz took his ideas to the ensuing levels by getting support from other like-minded institutions. From the get-go, he recognized the need to put together resources in order to realize game-changing goals. Such a mindset powers clarion calls for unity, but sadly not many of those who push for oneness succeed in making it happen.

There are enough efforts like those of Liter of Light to show the way for governments to act toward the good of the masses. Question is: are they willing to do it? Too many times such proven initiatives that should serve as templates are shoved to the sidelines in the name of politics. Just like in government, people with good intentions lose steam because they can no longer take the pressure from vested interests and colleagues who had long succumbed to the lure of power.

It keeps us hoping to see individuals like Illac Diaz who use their minds and influence to bring about change.