When Izzatu Adamu joined Solar Sister in November 2023, she worked as a civil servant with the local government in Taraba State, northern Nigeria. She sold small provisions and perfumes to women she knew to supplement her income, using her salary to sustain and grow her business. Despite her efforts, it was a constant struggle.
The situation worsened between August and October 2023, when residents in Taraba State faced imminent flooding due to the opening of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon, affecting the River Benue and River Benue Valley in Nigeria. Severe flooding in 2022 had already impacted over 4.4 million people, making the threat even more daunting.
In July 2023, Solar Sister and Acumen partnered with the Government of Canada to support internally displaced women in 12 communities across three disaster-stricken states. Izzatu eagerly applied for the opportunity to develop and maintain clean energy businesses in her area.
“Solar Sister turned the situation of my life, my family, and my business around for good,” Izzatu shares.
Solar Sister has created an avenue for me to make profits to boost my business and has introduced me to many new people. It has made me popular and known by many, and I have been invited and sought out by many to see and buy the solar lamps I sell.”
The financial benefits of Izzatu’s clean energy business have been substantial. She has been able to pay her child’s secondary school fees and provide him with pocket money, significantly improving her family’s financial status. Her husband’s support has been invaluable; he helps distribute products and run the business, relieving their financial burdens considerably.
The grant also emphasized digital literacy. Izzatu uses the phone she received as part of the grant to expand her business. She uses the technology to reach acquaintances and new customers via social media advertisements. People see her advertisement and come looking for her to buy a lamp. This has increased her sales and digital literacy knowledge, and her family and neighbors are pleased with the easy access to solar lamps due to her marketing and the ready availability of the lamps.
About Acumen:
Acumen is changing the way the world tackles poverty by investing in companies, leaders, and ideas. We invest Patient Capital in businesses whose products and services enable the poor to transform their lives. Founded by Jacqueline Novogratz in 2001, Acumen has invested more than $154 million in 167 companies across Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. We are also developing a global community of emerging leaders with the knowledge, skills, and determination to create a more inclusive world. In 2015, Acumen was named one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Innovative Not-for-Profit Companies. Learn more at www.acumen.org and on Twitter @Acumen.
