The Energy and Resources Institute has launched the official mascot for its “Lighting a Billion Lives” (LaBL) program. The initiative aims to enable one billion people to access light from solar technology. Laltini, the mascot, which is designed as an illuminated little girl, will be used to educate rural communities on the benefits of clean solar power. LaBL has already increased household productivity, improved the ability of children to read at night, and reduced kerosene consumption.
TERI has launched “Laltini” – the official mascot for its visionary project “Lighting a Billion lives (LaBL)” which is committed to enabling a billion lives to access light from solar technologies.
The mascot has been launched to connect with the rural communities and create awareness about the need for clean sources of lighting in these communities which do not have access to electricity. “Laltini”, the mascot, is a little girl child creatively designed to look like a solar lantern who is holding an illuminating lamp, exemplifying the concept of an enlightened and empowered girl child all set to empower her community. “Laltini” signifies how something as simple as sunlight can brighten the lives of rural communities in India.
Laltini is dressed in green, which signifies abundance, growth and prosperity, besides clean and safe energy. The new mascot “Laltini” will be used to spread social messages.
Laltini brings light to 35,000 households in India across 640 villages. In Myanmar, more than 1,75,000 lives have benefited. Solar lighting through LaBL has changed the lives enabling thousands of children to study at night under bright light of solar lanterns without straining their eyes. Struggle for thousands of women to cook in the dark amidst harmful toxic fumes has ended. It has also empowered hundreds of women with livelihood opportunities enhancing their income and standard of living, creating 1,000+ green jobs for rural entrepreneurs.
http://varindiaitmagazine.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/teri-launches-mascot-laltini-for-lighting-a-billion-lives-labl/