By Ruth Crosswell | SolarAid Volunteer
Greetings from the SolarAid team in Zambia!
There are many exciting developments with our micro-solar projects around Zambia. Training is well underway in Mkushi district where a group of entrepreneurs are learning all about micro-solar technology. They are being trained in a number of areas including the assembly small solar panels and in building simple and low-cost solar lanterns. Felix, a self employed carpenter and joiner, has participated in the training and is eager to expand his business into producing micro-solar products for the rural market at an affordable price. He is very optimistic that the solar lanterns will be successful:
“Many people like the wooden lamp that we made because it’s strong and hard, and it has a bright light”
In many parts of rural Zambia local people are heavily dependent on candles or home-made kerosene lamps. These types of lamps are not only expensive but are also highly polluting, foul smelling and inefficient! A local businessman, Ginnis Moono, explained to the team just how useful micro-solar technology will be:
“Lighting is always a problem: candles, kerosene, diesel and batteries are all expensive. I’m sure there is a strong market here for micro-solar products, especially solar lanterns and solar mobile phone chargers. Most people are farmers, they could be working in their fields while charging their phones, the solar panel is so light and simple and it would save them time and money”
By using locally sourced products such as wood and plastic sewage pipe to make the solar lanterns, and by having local people trained in making micro-solar products and selling them, SolarAid’s mission is to create jobs in Zambia – not in the Far East! The best solution to reducing Africa’s spiralling poverty is through job creation and income generation.
During a recent field trip to Mumbwa, the team carried out some basic micro-solar market research and some basic product quality testing on a number of lantern models. The product that had the most positive feedback and produced the best quality and intensity of light was the ‘made in Zambia’ model! As with all products there is always room for improvement but it’s extremely encouraging to know that we are heading in the right direction.
As well as taking new entrepreneurs on board, SolarAid has recruited a Country Business Manager, Trevor Robson, to lead our operations in Zambia. Trevor has been travelling around south western Zambia investigating new areas that may be suited to setting up micro-solar projects. He has recently identified one area in particular, Sesheke near the border with Namibia, which seems to have a particular need for such projects. Like many rural areas in Zambia it is incredibly remote making it impossible to connect to grid power. It is also a very poor community where food production is seasonal meaning that the average income is low, therefore micro-solar training and products would be extremely useful to this community. The team is currently waiting for a large import order of 2000 products to arrive, once they have, production and training in Sesheke can really get underway!
Thank you to all who have supported this project so far. Your donations are helping SolarAid to work effectively towards improving the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people in Zambia by providing cheaper and cleaner sources of energy.
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