Biography and enterprise

Conduct a mini – research. Select one local social entrepreneur whose work has caught your
attention and inspire you to engage in a similar endeavor. Present a brief folio of the
entrepreneur’s bio and enterprise. What make this social entrepreneur admirable in his/her
advocacy? You may include photos as evidences to support your essay.
Topic: Filipinos invented a Lamp that runs in Salt Water
Throughout the developing world, kerosene lamps are utilized to provide light at night.
Unfortunately, these lights emit carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, both of which are harmful to
the lungs and can lead to asthma and cancer. Aside from that, Black carbon, a key contributor
to global warming, is also produced by these lamps. Because of the dangers of kerosene lamps,
Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALT) is working to provide light to the Philippines.
SALT (Sustainable Alternative Lighting), which she co-founded with her brother Raphael
Mijeno in 2014, is led by Engineer Aisa Mijeno. She lived in the Philippines and through her time
with the tribes, she discovered that the tribes relied largely on kerosene lamps to see at night.
She was well aware that these lamps are hazardous to one's health, which is why she sought a
simple alternative that could be implemented by Filipino tribes. Mijeno discovered that the
Philippines has a lot of saltwater, allowing her to design a light that is powered by the saltwater
that surrounds the Philippines or a glass of water and two scoops of salt (Scott, 2019).
SALT is a saltwater-powered alternative light that is both environmentally friendly and
long-lasting. The lamp can last up to 8 hours with just two tablespoons of salt in a glass of
water. It not only has a low carbon impact, but it is also far safer for the health. Engineer
Mijeno revealed that the fuel cell, which runs on saltwater, was the innovation, not the lamp
itself. The lamp's technology is actually quite simple, and it requires less maintenance than a
traditional kerosene lamp. The electrodes are two metal rods inside the lamp, and when
saltwater, the electrolyte, is introduced, the lamp produces light and power. SALt lamps only
survive six months due to the wear and tear on the metal rods, however once these are
replaced, the lamp resumes normal working function and operation. Meanwhile, because the
SALT lamp was too expensive to sell in the Philippines, she chose to distribute it in Europe and
the United States. As a result, for every SALT lamp purchased, one lamp is donated to a
deserving household (Azada, 2019).
Because of her inspiring vision and game – changing innovation, her lamp has received
various recognitions from the country and other parts of the world. The SALT lamp, their
flagship product, was awarded the Good Design Award 2018 by the Japan Institute of Design
Promotion, a thorough design review and recognition system in Japan. And as the most recent
one, Aisa Mijeno was chosen as one of the catalysts of positive change in the recently
concluded TOYM award held at the Manila Hotel last December 2019 (Primer 2019).
 Moreover, this social entrepreneur is very admirable because SALT Lamp is a low-cost
solution aimed at improving the quality of life of people living on islands and in rural locations
throughout the country. There is a shortage of efficient light sources in the Philippines, as in
many other parts of the world, and the SALT Lamp helps to minimize the sustaining cost in
communities where kerosene/battery powered lamps and candles are the primary source of
lighting. Aside from that, it is very safe since the lamp does not contain any materials or
components that could cause a fire. The science behind the Galvanic cell, which is the
foundation for battery manufacturing, is used to change the electrolytes to a non-toxic, saline
solution, making the entire process safe and harmless. Additionally, it is environmentally
friendly because It produces no hazardous gases and has a small carbon impact, making it
extremely eco-friendly. In disaster situations such as super typhoons and earthquakes, SALT
Lamp can give a long-lasting light source. Furthermore, it is very easy to use because the lamp
can be powered by just the salt of ocean water, giving you an 8-hour runtime. This invention
also allows you to store ocean water in bottles and utilize it to power lamps at any time and in
any place (Suaquita, 2016).
References
Azada, D. (2019, December 20). DLSL Partner, SAlt Inventor Named TOYM Awardee.
https://www.dlsl.edu.ph/dlsl-partner-salt-inventor-named-toym-awardee/
Primer. (2019, March 11). Business Talk with Aisa Mijeno, CEO and Co-Founder of SALt.
Philippine Primer. https://primer.com.ph/business/2019/03/11/business-talk-with-aisa-
mijeno- ceo-and-co-founder-of-salt/
Scott, I. (2019, August 23). How SALt is Bringing Light in the Philippines. The Borgen Project.
https://borgenproject.org/how-salt-is-bringing-light-in-the-philippines/
Suaquita, D. M. (2016). Led Lamp Powered by Salty Water Designed In Philippines.
http://www.ideassonline.org/public/pdf/SaltLampPhilippines-ENG.pdf