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In the slums of Manila in the Philippines, one man has a simple idea for bringing light into the dark lives of thousands of poor.
In makeshift houses that are often windowless, Illac Diaz pokes a plastic bottle filled with water through a specially-cut hole in the roof to gather natural light from outside and to refract it into the darkened rooms below.
His idea has become so popular, there’s now a production line going at a local prison, but it’s not his only innovation.
His My Shelter Foundation has also created entire buildings from recycled bottles and used them for hydroponic gardening.
David Brill turns the spotlight on Illac Diaz to profile this man from a wealthy background, who’s on a mission to improve life for the poor around the world.
WATCH - Click to see David's report.
HOW TO MAKE A BOTTLE LIGHT - Find out how to make a bottle light by watching My Shelter Foundation's video.
AFTER RIO - Replay last week's Dateline story looking at the failure of the Rio environmental summit and whether people power is the way forward for tackling climate change.
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Photo (left): Getty
On air: 7th August 2012
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