By Joanna B Pinneo, Communications Manager
I’m writing from the field this week, traveling with our team in Nigeria.
We turned off the main road from Nasarawa to Jos and bumped along red-dirt roads through villages lined with small shops selling soup packets, noodles, and spices. Children’s shoes lined up in front, bottles filled with peanut oil gleamed in the sun. Bright carry bags swung from hooks. Many shops sold the same items, and I couldn’t help wondering how people chose where to buy.
Beyond each town, fields of maize, rice, and cassava stretched wide, lush, and green in harvest season. When our van slowed, young men and women rushed toward us with bananas, groundnuts, and dried plantains. One offered a deep-fried breaded snack; another waved a fistful of bright candies.
The further we drove from the main road, the rougher the ride became, with potholes and gullies, laughter filling the van. Hold on, we said!
After nearly an hour, we reached a small cluster of houses tucked into the fields. Ten women in bright orange Solar Sister t-shirts and colorful, patterned skirts danced down a narrow path to meet us, singing and clapping. We joined in, smiling, as we shook off the dust and the long road.
As Communications Manager, I’m fortunate to visit our fieldwork each year. I haven’t been to Nigeria since 2022, and being back feels like being home. For four years, I’ve been spotlighting an entrepreneur each week, sharing their photos, their journey, and their strength. Meeting these women in person and hearing their stories firsthand brings those stories to life in ways no screen can capture.
Every trip deepens my appreciation for the women powering change at the last mile. I’ll be sharing more of their stories and photographs in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
Thank you for helping equip these women with skills that no one can take away.
Warmly,
Joanna Pinneo
Communications Manager, Solar Sister