Maasai herder, mother and clean entrepreneur
Meet some of the 3,600 African women trained by Solar Sister, SolarAid and Elle Solaire. These are the women bringing energy to millions of Africans living without power.
Namnyaki is a Maasai herder, mother and clean energy entrepreneur from Longido in northern Tanzania: “When I started my husband bought my first two solar lights. I’m happy for the extra income of my solar business. I’ve bought textbooks and transport for my child to go to school. And my fellow Maasai love these lights – especially to protect their herds from hyena.”
Mutinta is from Rufunsa in Zambia. She is a head teacher who advocated for bringing a Solar Light Library to her school. She knows: “In the evening there is nothing more [students] can do apart from going back to sleep. The [solar] lights will help them very much. They are going to start doing their homework.”
Natalie is a young solar entrepreneur from Senegal. She says: “I am proud to do something good for my community as a clean energy entrepreneur. I am respected.”
Rachel is a mother, tailor, and clean energy entrepreneur from Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a savvy businesswoman and uses her tailoring business to enhance her solar business. She knows: “Women are the ideal people to market [clean energy] products! As a woman entrepreneur the first question I get is: Are you using it? And so it’s easy for me to convince my customers because I use the products and I am a woman.”