Sustainable and commercially viable supply of solar lanterns

SNV is working with PPS, a private enterprise working in solar, to facilitate the provision of portable solar lamps to 550 households from RPBHC - a women's cooperative of 10,000 members producing shea butter.

The objective of this project is to establish a sustainable and commercially viable supply and distribution model for PicoPV products and services, building initial lessons for up scaling and replication afterwards. The main objectives of this pilot phase are:

• Providing access to energy in rural areas with quality solar equipment and make the activity sustainable;

• Making available providers to sustain the provision of solar lights;

• Create and facilitate a market through a commercial partnership (meaning create income and employment through the distribution of solar lamps);

• Introducing of a credit component to a large cooperative representing the BoP.

Achievements

• 280 lamps from Barefoot Power distributed;

• 270 lamps from ToughStuff distributed;

• Women shea butter cooperative used as main distribution network;

• Credit for solar lamp with a local MFI is available and interested;

• Women cooperative has promotors and technicians for the promotion and after sales service;

• Valuable lessons for the partnership on bottlenecks in the distribution chain and consumer behaviour, response and interests.