Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake is currently the Communications and Business Development Supervisor for the North Central region at Solar Sister Nigeria. As an advocate for clean energy, she also manages a group of women entrepreneurs in Rivers and Bayelsa states. Oisereime is an MBA holder, a graduate of International Studies and Diplomacy, and a seasoned Business Development Strategist. In her work, she has developed the businesses of rural women who are supporting their families and impacting their communities.
What led you to join the Solar Sister team? What does your role involve?
I have always been drawn to activities and organisations that relate to community development, women empowerment, supporting the girl child, and those who can’t speak out for themselves. I saw Solar Sister as a platform to make an impact in communities, especially since the organization is focused on creating opportunities for women.
When I joined Solar Sister, my role involved identifying rural and off-grid communities, recruiting, training, and supporting women in those communities to become champions in eradicating energy poverty while becoming financially stable and I was excited about contributing to the success of the cause. That excitement has evolved to me now using every platform that I have to share stories about these women and create a platform for them to be seen, heard, and recognised in places they had never thought that their names would be mentioned.
What led to the establishment of Solar Sister?
Our CEO, Katherine Lucey, a former investment banker with experience in installing solar power in schools and health clinics, saw a gap and the impact of one solar lamp on a woman called Rebecca in a community in rural Uganda. Her experience from Rebecca’s impact led her to her starting Solar Sister in 2010 with the goal that “If one woman can make such an impact with a solar panel, what could a whole network of women accomplish?” Today, Solar Sister has expanded to Tanzania and Nigeria, with plans to enter other African countries where gaps exist, such as Rebecca had, and where Solar Sister can make a difference.
Can you talk about the Solar Sister business model? What are the objectives and mission of the organisation?
Our business model is simple: we are focused on women. A registered Solar Sister entrepreneur buys her lights and cookstoves from Solar Sister, then sells and delivers them to her family, friends, and neighbours. We provide essential services, support, and training that enable women entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses in their own communities.
At Solar Sister, we envision a brighter world powered by women entrepreneurs. We believe that women are a key part of the solution to the clean energy challenge. This is why we invest in women’s enterprises in off-grid communities. Our mission is to provide women with economic opportunity, training, technology, and support to distribute clean energy to underserved communities in Africa.
How is a lack of electricity, not just an economic issue, but a gender issue across sub-Saharan Africa?
As an African, I have seen firsthand the problems faced by women and one is in relation to clean energy. Women who are mostly the homemakers are faced with the challenges caused by lack of electricity. In the state where I reside, there is a prevalent use of illegal and unrefined crude to form kerosene that is used by women for cooking and lighting. These women suffer from fire explosions while using the kerosene causing burns on their bodies and sometimes death. These unrefined crude are dangerous, and the process of refining the crude is unhealthy for both the people and the environment.
Women are mostly affected by energy poverty and the helplessness they feel about the situation makes it worse. It is therefore part of my goal to advocate for the affordable access of clean energy to women directly, share the opportunity with them, and as drivers of change, they have the natural ability to bring tremendous impact in their communities.
What is your favourite thing about working for Solar Sister?
I love what I am doing! I get a happy feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction when I support women in making a living so that they can support themselves and their families. Traveling to communities, giving opportunities and hope to people, and being part of an amazing team are my favourite things about working with Solar Sister.
The original article was published in Missing Perspectives, https://www.missingperspectives.com/home/oisereimelloyd. Missing Perspectives is a global platform founded with one mission: to address the marginalisation of young women in both news coverage and decision-making. We are a feminist and youth-led newsroom focused on driving social impact at scale.