Solar Aid is an international charity founded by Jeremy Leggett in 2006 with over 10 years’ experience of working to deliver solar lighting to the developing world. They provide access to solar lights in Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia to help catalyse solar markets and eradicate the kerosene lamp.

In 2018, NextEnergy Foundation funded the provision of SM100 solar lights to Bidi Bidi, the largest refugee camp in Northern Uganda. The camp was opened in 2017 and is currently home to approximately 270,000 Sudanese refugees. Sudan’s civil war has been ongoing since 2013 and, according to Global Conflict Tracker (2020), almost 2.5 million refugees and asylum-seekers are estimated to have fled the country. The introduction of solar lights in Bidi Bidi has helped families to survive, and children to continue studying, in the camp which they now call their home.

NextEnergy Foundation is supporting a new project with SolarAid to recruit, train and back women entrepreneurs to run solar light businesses across rural Malawi.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls, and women entrepreneurs face far more barriers to running sustainable businesses in rural communities than men. However, it has been shown that women are key change-makers in providing energy access to rural communities.

Accordingly, SolarAid launched its Mayi Walas programme last year; Mayi Walas means ‘Shining Mothers’ in Chichewa, Malawi’s national language. Mayi Walas combines access to training, financing solutions and long-term business support to enable women entrepreneurs to break through the barriers they face in launching, growing and scaling successful businesses.

The programme will support a total of 150 Groups (1,500 women entrepreneurs). With NextEnergy Foundation’s support, 15 Groups (150 entrepreneurs) have been recruited and trained with the following wider impacts:

• 9,000 people in rural Malawi reached with solar light;
• 900 tonnes CO₂ emissions averted;
• 4,700 people experiencing improved health; and,
• 6 million additional study hours created.

More information about the programme’s dynamics can be found on the SolarAid website, including stories from some of the Mayi Walas entrepreneurs.

January 2023 Update: Key impacts to date of the 15 Mayi Walas Groups supported by the NextEnergy Foundation are below:

• 270 women entrepreneurs, 120 more than forecasted;
• 398 solar lights sold by the women entrepreneurs;
• 1,974 people reached with solar light;
• 208 tonnes CO2 emissions averted;
• 1,089 people experiencing improved health; and,
• 841,649 additional study hours created.

A number of challenges were faced in the first six months of the programme, namely a shortage of the solar light stock in Malawi; mistrust of micro-finance in rural communities; and, accessibility of the very last mile communities.

Notwithstanding these challenges, the Mayi Walas have reported increased income and savings; environmental wellbeing; social group cohesion; and, improved children’s education as tangible benefits from the programme. Florence Ndovi of the Kuwala Mayi Walas reported:

“People have learned to save the money they used to spend on batteries and candles. They are saving money and they can use the money to educate children. In this way, our community is developing.”

Linness Friday of the Chimwemwe Mayi Walas also said:

“I like solar lights because they don’t require money to work. Since we bought ours, we have never spent money on batteries. We just put it in the sun and are able to use them until morning.”

The focus of the next phase of the Mayi Walas programme is transitioning the groups of women entrepreneurs to be fully supported by their local Energy Businesses. Each Energy Business is independently run by an experienced local solar entrepreneur, acting as a central hub for all energy entrepreneurs operating within the territory to access to a range of solar light stock and ongoing business support. The next project update will be provided in June 2023.

NextEnergy Foundation is supporting a new project with SolarAid to bring solar energy to the poorest, last-mile communities in rural Malawi.

590 million people live in sub-Saharan Africa without access to electricity. Despite international commitments, the poorest are not being reached by solar energy because, even with PAYG offerings, they are unaffordable and off-grid companies do not go to the deepest rural areas.

Accordingly, SolarAid has launched the Light a Village programme to address this in Malawi. The programme involves free installation of solar home systems (“SHSs”); flexible payment terms for energy use; and, ongoing repair and maintenance services. Importantly, these services will be delivered by Customer Repair Representatives, many of whom will be Mayi Walas – groups of women entrepreneurs from SolarAid’s programme which the Foundation is supporting in 2022-24.

Light a Village was successfully piloted in 2022 in 500 homes in the Traditional Authority, Kasakula, Ntchisi District, Malawi. This area was selected in partnership with the Malawian Government due to its zero grid access and since 97% of the population lives below the extreme poverty line.

Before scaling the programme nationwide, it must be stress-tested across a larger sample of homes; SolarAid is scaling the pilot to a further 2,000 homes in the Ntchisi District. NextEnergy Foundation is funding 92 SHSs. Together with match-funding from the Turner-Kirk Trust, 912 people will be reached with first-time energy access.

An update on the project’s progress will be provided in due course.