Landslides are a common feature in the Uttara Karnataka region which leaves villages without electricity for more than 10 days. The India tech centre of UK retailer Tesco, in association with the Way for Life foundation and their NGO partner, Goodera, came together to build solar lamps that were distributed to the tribal communities of Yellapura in Karnataka. Over 100 Tesco employees used solar panels, LED lights, wires, soldering guns, lead and wax, solar ICs, switches, scissors, cutters, case covers and insulin tapes to build the lamps.

“Tinkering away with simple components and fundamentals of physics to arrive at a fully functional lamp was a wonder to watch! And knowing that this would ease the lives of a few families in a small but significant way was heart-warming,” says Medha Bidarahalli, lead – PMO at Tesco Technology.