In 2005, the International Energy Agency concluded that 1.6 billion people live without access to electricity. Other means–kerosene, candles, gasoline-run generators–strain the minimal budgets of this population, which is often rural, and can be dangerous and ecologically harmful. Jeff Frame, an activist-entrepreneur based in San Francisco, began his involvement in solar energy, and eventual collaboration, with non-profit One Million Lights–a solar-powered lantern distribution organization–after witnessing nomadic Mongolians effectively using solar energy panels and batteries, attained cheaply from neighboring China, to light their tents, or gehrs.

“Anymore, there’s all this talk about ‘The Digital Divide.’ I think a Darkness Divide is just as pressing,” Frame says. “This injustice is leaving people behind. You can’t have fence building around the developed world. If these Mongolian herders–some of the most remote and poor people on the planet–are doing this, why can’t whole communities around the world? And why can’t the richest nations make that happen?”

One Million Lights, a part of the World of Color charity based in Palo Alto, CA, is the project of Anna Sidana, inspired by a return to her father’s rural village in Rajasthan, India. Sidana teamed with Stanford students who were developing solar energy. Currently, One Million Lights distributes the SN2 Bogo Light, a small flashlight style model. Their distribution began with the MightyLight, both of which run on solar-powered LED technology. The goal of Sidana’s non-profit is to distribute a million lights around the world.

Beyond economic efficiency and extended work visibility, the breadth of this project extends to education as well. “These lanterns aren’t the ultimate solution, but they’re able to give kids a way to read at night, to study. Much of the developing world is equatorial-the sun sets at six o’clock. They have nothing at this point. And the expenditure of candles and kerosene adds up. These kids’ futures are compromised.”

According to Frame, who has worked on solar distribution projects in Peru as well, the most difficult challenges are raising awareness and creating sound distribution channels that are sustainable and cost-effective. “We’ve worked on employee giving programs at big companies. Anna [Sidana] was able to do that at Ebay. Employees contributed 15,000 lights one year. But we’re trying to go beyond just donations, to reach people on a personal level. We’re trying to give these people, these kids, a voice that says, ‘We’re out here in the dark, being left behind.’”

October 17th marks this year’s Hindi celebration, Diwali Festival of Lights, in India. Millions will celebrate the national holiday by lighting diyas (clay oil lamps) as a symbol of spiritual darkness’ uplifting. The observance is heavily photographed and covered in the media.

“It would be special to see some solar power mixed in there, to know kids are taking those lights home and using them to get ahead.”