Royal Philips has provided a gift of Philips LED solar powered lighting to the village of Thanh Son in Vietnam. The donation, which is improving the lives of villagers who have been in darkness for 30 years, is part of the ‘Philips Gift of Light’ - an internal engagement initiative in which Philips employees nominated and voted for projects around the world deserving of a Philips gift of light. During the coming months, projects will be implemented by Philips employees in 17 countries.

A little girl reads her homework using a Philips LED solar powered light. (photo courtesy of Philips)

The village of Thanh Son is located in a remote rural area about 70 km from Hanoi, Vietnam. For 30 years, village life in this largely off-grid community ended when the sun went down. Not anymore. A team of Philips employees has installed energy efficient LED solar powered lighting in 180 off-grid households and presented emergency LED battens and compact fluorescent lighting to a further 108 households where the electricity supply is unreliable. In addition, Philips has provided Philips Solar GreenVision solar powered LED road lighting for a play area at the village community center.

Solar powered lighting allows locals to play well into the night. (photo courtesy of Philips)

Street lamps powered by solar energy illuminate the streets in the village at night. (photo courtesy of Philips)

“We need to live our brand not just recite words on a page. So what better way to bring it to life than have our employees choose worthy causes that matter to them and then deliver our innovations to improve people’s lives,” said Eric Rondolat, CEO of Philips Lighting. “We received more than 200 nominations and thousands of our employees voted to decide the winning projects that are now being implemented in 17 countries. The Thanh Son village project illustrates how we’re enhancing life with light and improving people’s lives.”

Le Viet Hung, Marketing Manager, Philips Lighting Vietnam, who nominated the project and worked with a team of nine employees to install the lighting said, “The candles and kerosene lamps have been put away and the smiles on people’s faces say it all. Children can play safely and study in the evening and village life has blossomed, no longer constrained by the setting sun. Our technology not only improved their lives but ours, showing that our lighting innovations really do matter. It makes me feel good inside.”