In 2014 Nyakno met Blessing Ekanem from Solar Sister and learned about solar lamps and clean cookstoves.
At first, she was a customer buying a small solar lamp and later a clean firewood cookstove, which she still uses. She loved the products.
“I made sure that I introduced others to the products. I told people about the solar lamp. They asked me how I got the lamp, and I called Blessing. Blessing brought over some lamps, and friends started buying. Sometimes they did not have the cash at hand. I used my money to buy a few lamps so they could see the need. When I did that, they were interested in buying for their children and their older parents at home. And so I became a Solar Sister Entrepreneur. So many people around me are in need of clean stoves.”
Along with her Solar Sister business, Nyakno’s profession for 23 years is a secondary school teacher and is now a vice principal.
“There are so many things that I derived from Solar Sister. Ever since I joined, even more than the products that I sell and the profits that I make, I get joy in buying the products and giving them to people. I purchased a product for the Reverend Father because I am a Catholic member, and he blessed me. That month I gave him the lamp, I had tremendous sales.”
The additional income helps Nyakno. If she is not paid on time by the school, she can take care of family needs with her Solar Sister income.
Nyakno has two children, a boy, the eldest, and a girl.
“I started giving my son the light when he was in JS3.* That helped him in passing his JS3 exam with flying colors. Thereafter he proceeded to senior classes. He used to come and tell me that whenever he turned on the lamp, all the students would gather around him to use it. I thank God now he is a university student studying pharmacy.
I gave my daughter the lamp when she was in JS1* because of the benefit to her brother. She always comes back home with the same story of how other children asked her, ‘Where did your mom get all these lamps?’ So many children around her wanted to use the lamp. Now my daughter is a medical student.
To sell my products, I developed the means of dashing* people the lamp. When I dashed the lamp, this one would go and tell that one. Then those people asked for the price, and I sold them lamps. I go into my church with an advertisement. I also advertise the lamps at school. They see the need. So many of my friends have small, small shops. I take the lamps to them and tell them, don’t pay money, use the lamp for two weeks. Then they rush and pay the money, and the lamps move.
I see someone on the road and tell them the story of the lamp.
If I were not a member of Solar Sister, I don’t think I would be able to do most of the things I have done. If Solar Sister introduced women all over the world, let me say, all over the world, to Solar Sister, I think we women would be so proud of ourselves. Having this other business so that our income will be much. We, women, are the ones that take care of the house. So there is the need for Solar Sister to introduce this business to women.
My children are canvassing the lamps for me. They are telling stories of the light. I’d like them to join the business.
I am so proud to be a Solar Sister Entrepreneur because I can give light to people around me and not only close by but also far away from me because of the goodness of solar lamps.
Here in Abak, whenever they need solar, they will contact me.”
I am proud to ba a Solar Sister Entrepreneur.”
*JS3 is equivalent to 9th grade in the US.
*JS1 is equivalent to 7th grade in the US
* “dashing” – to give someone a dash is to offer a present with no strings attached