In Moshi, in Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro region, Trufaina Lytuu used to dread rainy days. As a Solar Sister entrepreneur, rain often meant canceled plans, soaked clothes, and damaged products.
“Customers did not get their lights on time,” she explains. “If you got caught in the rain, you had to take shelter or just keep moving and get wet.”
That changed dramatically when Trufaina received a bicycle and raincoat generously provided by a Solar Sister supporter.
Before, Trufaina walked everywhere carrying only an umbrella, often damaged by the wind. Now, she pedals confidently through rainstorms, reaching customers she couldn’t before. “I can now distribute to more people,” she says. “Using the bicycle has reduced my transport costs, especially compared to using a bodaboda, and saves time.”
“Before, I used to walk with a regular umbrella that could break in the wind, and I could not go far. Now, with my bicycle and raincoat, I serve more customers, even during rain, without fear of damaging my products. I just wear my coat and keep going. Thank you for giving us this support. It has truly changed how we work.”
The raincoat, simple yet transformative, allows her to travel confidently even in storms. She recalls, “Last week, I sold a cookstove to a teacher at a boarding school. The rain caught me on the way, but I just put on my coat and continued. Before, I had feared that if the rain came, it would catch me off guard today, so I would not go. Now I will pack my raincoat and products in my bag, and if the rain starts, I will just wear it and be confident that my products will be safe.”
Trufaina deeply appreciates this practical support. “I sincerely thank you,” she says warmly to those who made this possible. “May God bless you abundantly, and please don’t tire of continuing to support us.”