Solar Lights Programme

Very few people in the community have electricity, and most use either gasoline lanterns or candles to light their house at night. Both of these can be very dangerous, especially if you have little children running around and are detrimental to your health. Therefore, in July 2011, Uganda Hands for Hope launched a Solar Power Entrepreneur Program. The goal of this project was to not only provide the social benefits of solar power lights (i.e. safer home environment, better air quality, etc) to people within the community, but to also create small businesses and additional income for our Solar Entrepreneurs.

As a pilot program, we selected four mothers to be our initial Solar Entrepreneurs. Each Solar Entrepreneur purchased five solar power lights, at a subsidy, and then began renting out the lights to each of their customers for a small rental fee everyday. The income they earn each week is sufficient to payback their loan and earn a profit.

With this additional income, one mother was able to attend her mother's funeral in the village; something which would have normally been too expensive. Another mother has used the additional income to expand her chicken business. We are very excited about this project and the potential it carries!