The absence of safe and sustainable lighting sources casts a shadow on communities, hindering education, hampering health and dimming hopes for a better future. The Illuminating Futures program is a beacon of change aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, helping forge pathways toward a brighter and more equitable world for all. In partnership with SolarBuddy, an international organisation driving social change, students will work in small teams to explore energy poverty and assemble a StudentBuddy to be donated to communities in developing countries. Using the Design Thinking Process, students will undertake a design challenge using advanced manufacturing techniques to improve the functionality and user experience of the StudentBuddy.