Salaam Balaak Trust is an NGO that has been working in the slums of New Delhi for the past 25 years.

They run open schools in some of the remotest slum areas in the city, in which they provide free and basic education to children. These schools are the only way out for the children into a better, brighter life - from their life of hardship and hurdles in the slums.

The idea was meant for an NGO, which works with slum children - it had to be something that could benefit them without any added cost or effort. A school bag with solar panels and LED lights, was that. It was cost effective and self sustainable.

The bags got charged during the day when the children walked to and from school and at night lit up their study area.

It acted as their very own light source and initiated a will to learn amongst them.

The bags cost us $25 each to make and we made a total of 500 of them. They were then distributed free by

Salaam Balak Trust at their schools in various slum areas of New Delhi.

The simple and in fact low-cost solution made a profound sustainable impact. We noticed fewer drop outs. 70% of the homework got done. There was 65% Improvement in class performance and 50% increase in class attendance.