At thirty-three, Onyinyechi McBonaventure radiates enthusiasm as a Solar Sister Entrepreneur in South-South Nigeria. Three years into this adventure, her passion for her business shines as bright as the sun.
Her family used to rely on a generator for power. Over time, they discovered that they needed to purchase a significant quantity of fuel despite the high cost. This was a considerable challenge to the family’s finances.
All that changed when she crossed paths with a Solar Sister Entrepreneur in her community. Once Onyinyechi introduced a Sun King pico light into her home, the benefits of the solar-powered lamp became immediately apparent.
“Life has been much better because I don’t worry much about the power supply. I don’t bother carrying a charger around, looking for where to charge my phone. I do that in the comfort of my home, even without a power supply, which gives me joy.”
After using the solar light for a while, Onyinyechi thought to herself.
“I can sell these lights to my friends.”
Onyinyechi joined Solar Sister.
“I am confident I will become a successful businessperson,” Onyinyechi said. “The training that helped me to grow my business the most was ‘who is your potential customer.’
The people who buy from me are the Solar Sister advert! They refer customers to me. I also talk to people in the church, and people see me using the products, and they order them.”
I usually visit customers in a Keke, a three-wheeled “commercial tricycle,” popular in Nigeria.
“My proudest moment as an entrepreneur was the day I sold five Sunking Pro 400 lamps in one day!”
My dream for my family and children is to be financially stable in any economic situation. My husband, a civil servant, and I have four children, aged five months to six years.
I believe that working with Solar Sister is important work. It helps generate income while putting a smile on people’s faces.”
Lead Photo: Onyinyechi poses with a Firefly solar lamp made by Solarun. Cost effective and portable it spreads light to every corner of a room.
Sun King Pro 400 Lamp. A Sun King Pro 400 is 40 times brighter than a kerosene lamp, and you can get up to 100 hours of light on a single charge. It also includes a USB for mobile charging. The Pico Lamp is a slightly small version with the panel in the actual lamp rather than a separate solar panel.