Light Up a Future,
One School at a Time.
Thousands of schools in the Philippines remain in darkness and offline — join us in bringing them the power of light, learning, and sustainable connection.
Maria’s Story
Discover how a 16-year-old girl’s visit to a poor community sparked a movement for education and the environment
In August 2024, I visited Sarangani Province, located on the southern tip of Mindanao. Sarangani is known for its stunning mountain ranges, but also for its high poverty rate — 12% of its population lives on less than $2.15 per day.
I wanted to meet the community of Laginan, a remote farming group of Tagkaulo families perched at the top of a steep mountain range in Malungon. Until 2018, there was no access to electricity. Until just a few months ago, there was no internet.
Be the power behind their dreams - and a cleaner planet.
Laginan Integrated School, the “School in the Sky,” serves nine villages and 332 students. The school is fortunate to now have electricity, thanks to the proactive efforts of teachers and organizations like the Solar Village Foundation, which in 2018 provided solar lighting to classrooms and households.
When I visited with the Solar Village Foundation team, I learned firsthand the struggles that schools and families face without energy. In the dark, children’s studies end with the setting sun. Without power, teachers cannot use modern tools. And without internet, these schools remain cut off from the world.
But there is also an environmental story here: when schools are not connected to clean energy, families often rely on kerosene lamps or diesel generators — small, polluting, and costly sources of power that harm both health and the climate.
Together, we can brighten classrooms and cut carbon.
I also discovered a serious challenge: redundancies and miscommunications in donations. Some unelectrified schools receive multiple sets of solar panels or routers, while remote schools get nothing. This not only wastes resources but slows down the shift toward renewable energy in the communities that need it most.
That’s why I created Project 1781 — a website that maps the 1,781 schools across the Philippines without access to electricity or internet. By giving donors, organizations, and volunteers transparent access to data, Project 1781 helps ensure that clean energy solutions like solar power reach every school equitably.
Who am I?
I’m Maria, I’m 16 years old, and I’m deeply passionate about making a difference in the Philippines. I love my country, and I believe that every Filipino child deserves the chance to learn, dream, and thrive in a world that is brighter and more sustainable.
I grew up taking electricity for granted — switching on the lights at night to study without ever thinking twice. But I have seen with my own eyes that for thousands of students across the Philippines, this simple privilege is out of reach. Studying in darkness, without access to electricity or the internet, holds back not only their education but also their opportunities to be part of the fight against climate change and environmental challenges.
That’s why I created Project 1781 — a website and map that lists every school in the Philippines still without electricity and internet. It shows their exact location, whether rural, coastal, or mountain-based, and gives contact details so donors and organizations can reach them directly. My dream is that one day Project 1781 will become Project Zero: zero schools left in the dark.
How can you help?
By using this platform, you can find and electrify the schools most in need. Together with the Department of Education — and with your support — we can bring light, knowledge, and hope to every classroom.
It is my dream that one day, Project 1781 will ultimately become Project Zero - when there are zero schools in the Philippines without access to electricity. I know that giving donors access to information that allows them to reach the farthest, unelectrified schools can make this dream possible.
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY & INTERNET CONNECTION
PROJECT 1781
Website powered by: Pinoys Interactive
