Alfredo Moser's invention, a lamp made out of a plastic bottle filled with water and bleach, has been spreading rapidly around the world and it's expected to be in one million homes by early next year.
Moser, a Brazilian mechanic, came up with the invention in 2002 while trying to find a way to light his workshop during a blackout.
He took nothing more than an empty plastic bottle of water, two capfuls of bleach, an aluminium foil, heavy-duty scissors, a drill and polyester resin.
After pouring water and bleach into the bottle, he made a hole into an aluminium foil and fixed it on top of the bottle.
He then drilled a hole into the roof and fixed the bottle with polyester resin to avoid the roof leaking in case of rain.
Carmelinda, Moser's wife, told the BBC her husband has always been very good at making things around the house. The lamp gives out as much light as a 40-to-60-watt bulb. However, it doesn't work at night and cannot store energy. According to reports, since its invention it has spread to 16 countries, including Argentina, Tanzania, India, Bangladesh and Fiji. In the Philippines, where a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line and electricity is expensive, the idea took off. According to the BBC, MyShelther Foundation, which specialises in alternative and sustainable construction, started making the lamps in the country in 2011. The organization now trains people to create and install the bottles from which they can also earn a small amount of money.
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