In September 2019, the IEEE UFSM Student Branch started the first edition of the IluminIEEE Project. The main objective of this project is to collect LED lamps, repair, and donate them to needy schools in the city of Santa Maria.

To achieve this goal, boxes were made to collect the material distributed in different points of the University, so that people could donate their LED lamps. Thus, donations could be made at the Santa Maria Industrial Technical College (CTISM), at the Technology Center (CT) and at the Center for Natural and Exact Sciences (CCNE). The event was promoted through social media such as Instagram and Facebook and, also, through internal communication between students and teachers.

The LED Lamps maintenance was developed in a joint action of the IEEE IAS UFSM SB Chapter with CTISM, in a workshop held on October 22. The workshop was composed of two parts. The first was theoretical, where students could learn a little more about electronics, reviewing technical concepts and basic topologies of LED lamps. The second part was focused on practice, with students applying knowledge of electronic soldering and electronic components for the maintenance of the lamps.

The workshop had 15 participants and it was possible to recover 18 damaged LED lamps. It is important to highlight that the collection of lamps continues to be carried out and a new edition of the workshop is already being planned.

All the recovered lamps were tested and with the bulb glued back. The lamps were donated to a city public school that needs resources to continue open. The school name is “Escola Municipal de Ensino Fundamental Livia Menna Barreto” and is located at Santa Maria – RS.