Tree of Light

Energy shortages are heavily affecting the Gaza Strip thus becoming an urgent humanitarian issue.  With this project we propose to create a new path of light by illuminating the main streets in two refugee camps, one in Rafah and the other one in Gaza city (the beach refugee camp) with the use of photovoltaic technology.

In particular we propose to install a solar tree (a tree whose leaves are Photovoltaic Panels) which will produce enough energy to light up 800 meters of the main street in the refugee camp. The street will be provided of an LED illumination system  made of 36 lamps of 50W each.

Objective of the Project

The Project will plant the seeds for a creative future, while promoting the usage of clean energy sources.  It will provide a concrete support to recover and appraise spaces that heavily suffer from the energy shortages by bringing public lighting to a highly populated area in the Gaza Beach Refugee Camp (Al -Shatii refugee camp) and to the Saudi neighbourhood in Rafah through the construction of a PV “Tree of Light” and the installation of LED lamps of 50W each.

In collaboration with the Florafox liter of light, qualified technicians will teach the local population how to build self-made photovoltaic lamps in plastic bottles (bottles of light) that are able to illuminate at night independently from any external energy provision, hence raising awareness on the applications and advantages of Photovoltaic Energy Sources.

Last but not least we will re-qualify an abandoned green area, and set up there a laboratory, in partnership with the Italian association Oltre il Mare. The laboratory will become a beacon where activities aimed at the psychological support of the local population will take place.

We will work to develop a new vision for future generations by looking for alternatives to fossil oil and by promoting a concrete educational program for the protection of the environment that will transform small portions of the territory. To realize such a transformation the project objectives are as follows :

1. Raise and increase the awareness of the people of Gaza and especially households and small private shops to shift to renewable energy sources by showing the effectiveness of PV power on public soil and by teaching privates to build their own self-made PV bottle lamp.
2. Raise the environmental issue in order to urge the population to defend it and to consider it as an important topic.
3. Lower the expenses of the regular Palestinian house by shifting to energy sources alternative to the expensive and pollutant oil based generators.
4. Raise the awareness on how to use a reliable and affordable energy source.