Our Story
Lighting the Way to a Brighter Future
At The Light Providers, our mission is rooted in personal experience and a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of those suffering from light poverty. It all started when our founder and CEO, Ishmael, received a wireless solar light from his dad to help him safely navigate a dark front door at night. Inspired by how useful the light was, Ishmael wondered how this simple solution could help families back in Sierra Leone, West Africa—where his family is from and where the electrical grid is unreliable, resulting in constant blackouts.
When Ishmael gave a similar solar light to his aunt in Sierra Leone, he expected her to leave it outside her home for security. However, due to blackouts, she had to bring the light inside each night. With a three-year-old grandson waving his hand to keep the motion sensor light on, it became clear that existing products didn’t meet the needs of those living without consistent power.
This sparked Ishmael’s journey to find a better solution—not just for his aunt but for millions worldwide facing similar challenges. After researching, interviewing families, and working with various programs for entrepreneurs, Ishmael uncovered three key areas where access to reliable light has a significant impact:
Education: Children can’t study after dark without proper lighting, and parents are often forced to use the only available light for household tasks.
Women’s Empowerment: Women, who reinvest the majority of their income into their families and communities, are less productive without reliable light after sundown, limiting their economic impact.
Security: In regions like Sierra Leone, darkness brings an increase in crime and leaves homes vulnerable.
Determined to find a solution, Ishmael, along with his sister Naomi, launched The Light Providers in January 2024. As a Black and Sierra Leonean-American-owned company, our mission is simple: provide reliable wireless solar lights that people in the U.S. can buy and send to their family members abroad, just as Ishmael did for his aunt.
We tested dozens of lights and solar panels, partnering with manufacturers to create a collection of dependable products designed for people living with unreliable electrical grids. We call this our Light Label collection.
But we’re not stopping there. With Ishmael’s background in mechanical engineering, we’re developing an innovative, patent-pending light solution—The Light Provider—tailored specifically for communities suffering from light poverty.
Our vision is to empower families, enhance security, and improve education through sustainable lighting solutions that transform lives.
Join us on our journey to light up the world, one home at a time.
Our Logo:
Our logo features a black hand holding a jar, symbolizing both our identity as a black-owned company and a deeper connection to the joy of capturing light. The jar represents the act of collecting lightning bugs on a warm night—a nostalgic symbol of capturing light in darkness. The open jar with light escaping signifies family members who have access to reliable light sharing that light with loved ones around the world who don’t. It embodies the essence of our mission: providing the gift of light to those who need it most, no matter where they are.
We Bring the Light
At The Light Providers, our motto means more than just delivering solar-powered lights. As a Light Provider, you’re part of a mission to bring light to the darkest corners of the world. We’re sending brightness to family members in need abroad, empowering communities without reliable electricity, and giving back to the places we came from that still need our help and support. Together, we’re spreading hope, security, and opportunity—one light at a time.