Benefits

Current Situation: In the developing world, 1.4 billion low-income people lack electricity. At night, they use kerosene lamps to light up their huts. These produce little light, smell awful, and are very smoky. Every year, thousands of houses burn down when kerosene lamps are accidentally kicked over.

The only form of electricity that is available often comes from cheap, low quality batteries. These only last a short time, and are then thrown away in enormous numbers, chemically polluting the environment and drinking water sources.
Both kerosene and batteries are very expensive: the average low income family spends over 10% of their annual income on these products.

Benefits of Solar-Powered Products: Apart from obvious health related advantages of clean energy (no smoke, no fumes and flame free), the use of a solar-powered products saves families with low incomes a lot of money. Breakeven for the end consumer is just 2 to 3 months. This delivers a substantial poverty reduction impact representing a $98 annual uplift per person.

The products also create new employment, primarily through micro businesses that rent out or sell products, but equally by prolonging the useful working day.