Hombolo Village is situated in the central plateau of Tanzania, north of the legislative capital of Dodoma. It’s a peaceful area with grasslands and is off the beaten track, making it a less frequently visited tourist destination.
The region’s premier attraction is the Unesco World Heritage–listed Kondoa Rock-Art Sites, scattered across remote hills along the Rift Valley Escarpment.
Solar Sister Entrepreneur Rhoda Mmasi makes her home in Hombolo with her husband and children.
Since joining Solar Sister in 2019, Rhoda has significantly improved her home life, replacing kerosene lamps with solar lamps and eventually connecting to the electricity grid, thanks to the profits she made selling solar products.
“I bought some piglets that I raised and then sold at a profit. I have also been able to send one of my children to boarding school.”
In addition to her entrepreneurial work with Solar Sister, Rhoda is a skilled seamstress and has built a small studio with her additional income.
Since joining Solar Sister, Rhoda has become a more confident businessperson, expressing, “As a Solar Sister entrepreneur, I have become stronger and have no difficulty talking to many people. I now have the courage to do any business anywhere.”
She has gained confidence in her ability to do business and regularly shares Solar Sister’s benefits with potential customers. As an entrepreneur, Rhoda proudly serves her community by reducing their reliance on costly kerosene and batteries.
One of the training modules Rhoda received from Solar Sister focused on safety and risk mitigation, emphasizing the importance of caution when traveling to sell Solar Sister products.
“Where we go to sell our solar lights, sometimes we go very far. So when they introduced this safety training, we learned that an entrepreneur should be cautious about where I go. I should first check on my safety too. When I am walking about, I should pay attention. If I can, I should take transport to take me there quickly and return early, so I will be safe with my products and have money.”
Rhoda’s dedication to growing her business led her to participate in the advanced Solar Sister training, where she received a smartphone that helped her attract new customers. She shared an example of how she utilizes it, stating, “If I receive my lanterns, I take a photo of my lanterns. After that, I take a picture of myself. New customers can find me that way.”
Ultimately, Rhoda and other Solar Sister entrepreneurs aim to bring light to villages and improve the health of residents by replacing harmful kerosene with solar energy. Through their efforts, they empower communities and promote sustainable living practices.
Rhoda emphasizes the impact of Solar Sister’s work: “We take these lights to the villages to take women out of darkness and put them into light. We also prevent chest ailments because kerosene has smoke, so if we bring them solar, we help them with their health, and so they save money.”
Rhoda is proud to be a part of the Solar Sisterhood, empowering communities and promoting sustainable living practices.
