Buksh Foundation, an organisation established by LUMS Economics graduate, Fiza Farhan (BSC 2008) has received the 'Poverty Alleviation Award' by the prestigious Asian CSR Network.

These awards are organised by the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR) and are held in Bangkok. The Asian CSR Awards programme recognises organisations for embodying the principles of corporate responsibility in their business philosophy and operations. Awards are given for programmes that achieve excellence in terms of services to stakeholders and innovative sustainable solutions to pressing social challenges. This year, AFCSR received 134 entries from 12 countries for the contest and Buksh Foundation’s project “Lighting a Million Lives” won the award from among prestigious organisations from all over Asia. The awards are an excellent platform to raise awareness of the large impact being created by such innovative CSR projects that actually create a change in the lives of the millions they serve.

Launched in December 2012, “Lighting a Million Lives” (LaML) works to replace harmful kerosene-based lighting with small massively implemented micro-solar solutions to make sustainable energy more local and community-based. The project achieves this by implementing a solar charging station with 50 solar lanterns in a village. Since the launch, LaML has successfully established stations in 150 villages in Pakistan with the technical support from its sister company Buksh Energy Pvt. Ltd.