The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Ramadan is a time of giving; a time of modesty and goodwill – characteristics and sentiments that wash over Cairo and Egypt during the Holy Month. Many will do their part and dig deep into their pockets – be they individuals or institutions – but more and more decisive initiatives are popping up across the country; initiatives that don’t equate success with monetary figures; initiatives that don’t fund action – they are the action.

One such initiative this year has come courtesy of global giant, PepsiCo. Having started in the Philippines, Liter of Light aims to address an issue that shouldn’t be an issue in the 21st century – lack of consistent electricity in Egypt’s rural areas.

We could talk about the increasing gap between the demand and production of electricity in Egypt, but it’s strange that, in 2015, there are large areas of Egypt that are living in such conditions – lack of electricity makes day-to-day living difficult for villages that are already fighting other adverse conditions. Working in corporation with Mir Al Kheir Foundation, SunUtions, PepsiCo’s unique campaign made its Middle East debut in Om El Donya. Unbeknownst to many, the initiative actually kicked-off on these shores back in 2014 in Sohag and has been in action in the governorate of Assiut.

But how exactly is PepsiCo bringing electricity to these places? Well, this is where the magic happens.

The eco-friendly initiative uses solar panels connected to vessels carrying chlorine which will store solar rays and light up during the night – but wait, there’s more. Said vessels are actually empty plastic Pepsi bottles, proving the sincerity and industriousness of Liter of Light – here, we have an institution uses its own resources in its execution of what is a simple but ingenious set-up. This is not an initiative whose transactions are based solely on money – this is an initiative that is in the thick of it; one that’s tackling the issue rather than just providing a platform for it.

PepsiCo is also keen to involve other communities’ roles and you can help out, too; you can donate to 5LE to the Misr Al Kheir Foundation by texting “Nour” or “نور” to 9597 and be a part of one of the most effective CSR initiatives around.