The Signify Foundation, City Hall of São Paulo, Brazil, and the Union of Residents recently partnered to help support more than 25,000 residents in the Paraisópolis favela by installation LED lighting to improve the wellbeing and safety of residents. As part of the "Light Up Paraisópolis" project, more than 190 Philips GreenVision Xceed LEDs were installed in strategic areas across this Brazilian community that houses more than 100,000 people. Additionally, the program helps promote social and economic development amidst the current context of social isolation.
It is estimated that the project supports more than 25,000 people, as it completely transforms previously poorly lit spaces into well-eliminated paths so residents can make their daily commute to work, school or leisure. Thanks to the lighting, shops can also stay open for longer, helping small businesses to generate more income, expanding employment opportunities and giving a boost to the local commerce ecosystem.
“This Signify initiative has a very significant role for the population living in Paraisópolis, as today we can witness how a slum is transformed into a neighborhood. With the luminaires installed in six zones, based on the demand of the residents themselves, people who live here can move more safely and live better, which has a positive impact on the region, both socially and economically speaking,” said Gilson Rodrigues, community leader of Paraisópolis.
The project is the outcome of a partnership between the Signify Foundation, the Union of Residents of Paraisópolis and the City Hall of São Paulo through the Department of Public Lighting, called ILUME. It has the objective to help people’s lives and reinforce the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world.
“For Signify, the ‘Light up Paraisópolis’ project has become an important case that illustrates how the prioritization of lighting can be a determining factor when developing policies for the population,” explains Sergio Costa, Country Leader for Signify Brazil. “This illustrates our commitment to bringing Brazilian inhabitants’ quality and sustainable lighting that makes a real difference in their daily lives.”