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Tuesday, December 27th, 2016

Solar Energy Is Lighting Up Women’s Businesses in Africa

Author:     Remy Tumi
Source:     Takepart
Publication Date:     Dec 25, 2016
 Link: Solar Energy Is Lighting Up Women’s Businesses in Africa
Stephan:   I keep saying that policies and programs that put fostering wellbeing first always have better social outcome data, and often have unintended or unanticipated consequences that make things even better than was originally planned. Here's another example of this, and another proof of the Theorem of Wellbeing. Why do you think we can't seem to learn this lesson in the United States, other nations can do it, why can't we?

African women benefit for having light to work by at night.
Credit: Energy4Impact/Facebook

Elizabeth Julius worked sunrise to sunset to make ends meet as a seamstress. Supporting her husband and two kids in a village in Tanzania, Julius was forced to put down her needle and thread each day once darkness fell.

That all changed three years ago when she was introduced to Energy 4 Impact, a London-based organization that works in Africa to ensure energy access and foster entrepreneurship for impoverished women.

With guidance from Energy 4 Impact, Julius took out a $500 bank loan and purchased a lamplight. But that was only the beginning.

“Solar energy has entirely changed my life,” Julius, 29, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “I use it at work and at home, yet it doesn’t cost me anything.”

Now able to continue working past daylight hours and increase her income, Julius went one step further and took out a loan to expand her tailoring business. Today, she operates a barbershop, mobile phone charging facility, and general store—all powered with solar […]

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2 Comments

  1. Mark R on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 at 3:25 am

    Heartening and exciting to see individuals helping their community take off with off-grid solar. Fundamental cbattleis possible..even of it is an uphill battle.

  2. Jan Briggs on Monday, January 2, 2017 at 10:17 am

    Oh, goody! I’m so happy women will now be able to work twice as hard! NOT!