Lighthouse
Lighthouse is UWC Atlantic's on-campus innovator and entrepreneur hub. Rooted in UWC values, it empowers students to develop the skills, creativity and confidence needed to pitch ideas that can drive social change.
Students compete annually for the Lighthouse Prize Fund, which is an investment fund to support the most promising projects developed by students throughout the year. Successful projects need to tackle a significant social issue and be rooted in the system they wish to change and show entrepreneurial promise.
Successful Lighthouse Projects include:
2025
Kachwora Digital Knowledge Hub
The Kachorwa Digital Knowledge Hub is bridging the digital divide in rural Nepal by providing computers, internet access, and digital literacy training. Built across three dedicated rooms, the hub now has reliable electricity and internet connectivity, 20 new computers and has already welcomed 139 students for their first scholarship exam. With digital literacy classes launching in multiple shifts to meet demand, this project is opening doors to education, opportunity and empowerment in Kachorwa.
2025
Natulishe Umushi - Let's Feed the Village
Led by Chimwemwe, a student from Zambia, the Let's Feed the Village project helped a local community establish a sustainable community garden, providing fresh vegetables for daily nutrition and income. Beyond food security, it fostered hope, empowerment and transformation, enabling families, especially those with young children, to improve their nutrition while taking ownership of their future.
2024
AISA Solutions
Aisa Solutions began with a simple question: How can we make communication more inclusive? Winning a Lighthouse prize, the team created AISA School, an AI-powered app teaching American Sign Language. Tested with deaf and Hard-of-hearing users and experts, AISA has gone global, presenting at Web Summit Qatar, reaching the UK StartUp Awards Wales finals, and winning multiple awards. Asia Solutions now operates as a U.S. company with support from Google and OpenAI.
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2023
Ailem App
The world's first language app tailored for refugees and asylum seekers. This project was created 'by refugees. for refugees.' Ailem provides knowledge and education tailored for the needs of refugees and asylum seekers as they integrate into society. The app now has over 800 users and is translated into eight different languages.
The app has won numerous awards including the YSA Youth Innovators Awards and the European Charlemagne Youth Prize.
2024
The Happy School Project
partnership between My Gakidh Village School and the Bhutan Youth Development Fund, the Happy School project's aim was to build kitchen facilities at the school to allow children to have a good meal while at school so they are able to focus on their learning and achieve better outcomes in their studies.
Prentis Hub
