Spry at seventy years old, Otavina Ngasi worked small jobs for people, washing clothes and farming maize and sunflower. She and her husband raised seven children in Kisinga Isimani, a small farming village in central Tanzania.
Over her lifetime Otavina lost three of her seven children. The last three years have been challenging as both her third child and her husband died. Otavina’s four grandchildren live with her. Employment opportunities are difficult for her children, trying to make ends meet.
In June of 2022, Otavina heard about the opportunity with Solar Sister from a neighbor and fellow entrepreneur. She decided to join and give the business a try.
At the monthly sisterhood meeting, Otavina proudly carries her business in a bag, wears her Solar Sister shirt tucked into a smart long black skirt, and her hair tucked into the Solar Sister ball cap, a bit of gray around her temples.
Otavina says that she has already had success in earning more income. She sells her products going door to door and in the market.
The quality of the products and the warranty that entrepreneurs offer through Solar Sister help to sell the products, especially in markets where “counterfeit” products are often the norm.
Otavina switched from using kerosene to a solar lantern after joining Solar Sister and recommends solar lanterns to everyone she meets.
“Since I joined, I have been able to put food on the table. It was hard to do that before. It’s good work for women because it helps to ease the hard life.”