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It’s not often that we see an international enterprise that is entrepreneurial, eco-friendly and earning money too.

That’s why we were so inspired to read about Mark Bent’s SunNight Solar company in a New York Times article last year.

Bent, a 49-year-old Houston oilman, has developed and is distributing a solar-power flashlight for poor villagers in the developing world. Some two billion people - about one-third of the world’s population - don’t have access to affordable lighting after dark, estimates say.

His invention gives seven hours of light after one day of re-charge and the batteries last at least three years. Since he began to develop the product in August 2005, Bent has worked with the Department of Energy, NASA and American universities.

In the last year, he’s donated 10,500 flashlights to United Nations refugee camps and African aid charities. Corporate donors, such as Exxon Mobil, have helped and Bent also offers his product to customers in the First World for $25. If you buy one, he’ll ship another flashlight to the Third World and donate $1 to an aid group.

“I find it hard sometimes to explain the scope of the problems in these camps with no light,” Bent told the Times. “If you’re an environmentalist you think about it in terms of discarded batteries and coal and wood burning and kerosene smoke; if you’re a feminist you think of it in terms of security for women and preventing sexual abuse and violence; if you’re an educator you think about it in terms of helping children and adults study at night.”

Indeed, people in poor villages report a range of uses - from being able to deter thieves to allowing young students to stay up reading.

Bent is a former Marine and Navy pilot who spent much of his career in foreign service. He got into the oil business in 2001. And though he was still working abroad, it “didn’t satisfy” his soul.

Many international professionals encounter this feeling that although they have successfully climbed the corporate ladder, they still want to make a difference by volunteering.

Whether it’s spending a Saturday at a local soup kitchen or taking a sabbatical to do a tour with Doctors Without Borders, a sense of volunteerism is increasingly important in the working world.

Some professions are increasing the call to do some good. For example, the American Bar Association has been on a relatively successful campaign to encourage U.S. lawyers to work pro bono for 40 hours a year.

Are you looking for a way to volunteer your time and offer some light? Start at VolunteerMatch or try the United Way or check with the government.