SolarAid, an international charity that provides access to affordable solar lighting in developing nations, has reached an impressive milestone – one million lights.
We first wrote about SolarAid in 2009, shortly after the organisation was established. By late 2010 it was selling around 2,000 lights per month.
Under the leadership of CEO Steve Andrews, who joined SolarAid that year; sales skyrocketed to around 65,000 lights per month. Around 60% of the near-million solar light tally has been sold in just the last 12 months.
Mr. Andrews, who will be leaving SolarAid shortly, is ending his tenure on a high note.
“I am incredibly proud of the team that is achieving this spectacular growth; we are on track now for an Africa free of kerosene lanterns by 2020, our ultimate mission. Building the SunnyMoney operation has been a truly great adventure”.
Key to the great success, SunnyMoney works with local entrepreneurs to help them build a successful business from selling solar lights – locals selling to locals through social enterprise.
The payback time of a solar light through savings on expensive, polluting fuel such as kerosene is around 12 weeks for a basic study light. The current generation of lights last for at least five years.
Even at the low cost, some are unable to afford the lights – so SolarAid also offers a program where donors can sponsor lights for families.
SolarAid was named among the winners of the 2013 International Ashden Awards and was also the winner of a £500,000 Google Global Impact Award last year.
The organisation has set a goal of distributing another million solar lights in the next 12 months.
More than half a billion Africans have no access to electricity; relying mainly on kerosene for lighting. “These brutal lamps emit noxious black smoke and burn up to 20% of the household income – locking millions into poverty,” says SolarAid.
