In Tanzania, a mere 11% of the population has access to electricity and the most widespread solution for lighting is kerosene lamps, which are hazardous, smoky, and costly in fuel. Children who study by them frequently develop poor eyesight and respiratory problems from the smoke. Worse still, in 2009, a fire sparked by a kerosene lamp in Idodi Secondary School caused the death of 12 young girls. Yet the lamps persist and 92% of the population spends an astonishing 30% or more of their income on kerosene.

Solar pioneers

27 year-old Ann Kihengu belongs to a growing wave of pioneers in Africa who have set out to replace kerosene lamps with solar lighting. This innovative technology has now become affordable thanks to companies such as D.Light, with whom Ann works in partnership, who have developed low-cost portable solar lamps that are healthier, safer and cheaper than their kerosene counterparts, allowing people to read, work or study way beyond nightfall.

Having set up her own store in 2009 and become a leading distributor of D.Light products in the country, selling over 1000 units in one year, Ann realised that an urban outlet did not have sufficient reach and has now created Prian as a distribution structure to take the lights to the rural areas where they are needed most. To counter the difficulties of transport, bad roads and immobilisation during the rainy season, she has come up with an inspirational distribution model.

Enlightening young entrepreneurs

‘I started out doing road shows and hiring young people who were out of work as a way to encourage the younger generation. Then I attended a series of village campaign seminars educating secondary school students around the country to become entrepreneurs and motivating school leavers to start up in business. I have chosen some of the latter to train with me by selling the lights.’

Having studied business education and set up her own company at the age of 26, Ann is a firm believer in entrepreneurship and knows that there is no time like the present for getting started! She currently has a team of 8 people who, thanks to the program, can launch with much less capital than would be normally needed – just enough to buy three lights. ‘Although Tanzania has many small businesses and shopkeepers, entrepreneurship had a hard time developing during the long years of socialism. Everything was communal and ultimately it made people lag behind,’ says Ann. Prian monitors the young entrepreneurs it works with closely and provides full training and coaching to help them get to grips with the basics of business.

Transforming mentalities with ease

The company also distributes solar mobile phone chargers, to help people stay connected and facilitate business networks and enterprise. ‘People sometimes think that nothing can change in rural communities, but it’s not true. I met a man one day who told me that when he moved back to his village he built a nice house. He showed them how to build equally good houses and soon the whole village was transformed! It wasn’t a question of them needing the funds, it was their mentalities that he managed to change. I believe very strongly that this is something solar-powered energy can achieve in Tanzania as well.’