Supporting the Mayi Walas with SolarAid
Heart of England Community Energy (HECE) is dedicated to tackling fuel poverty both locally and globally. One of their annual beneficiaries is SolarAid, an international development charity working alongside communities in the most rural and hard to reach areas of sub-Saharan Africa to tackle poverty and the climate crisis through access to clean, safe solar lights.
Read on to find out more about SolarAid, and the impact of Heart of England’s support during 2023-24.
Who are SolarAid?
Founded in 2006, SolarAid is an international charity tackling poverty and climate change. For millions of people across sub-Saharan Africa, the working day ends when the sun sets. But SolarAid offers a simple solution: solar lights.
‘With just the flick of a switch, these lights enable families to earn, children to learn, and the planet to breathe a bit easier’ - SolarAid.
Through their social enterprise, SunnyMoney, SolarAid distributes solar lights in Malawi and Zambia, fostering a sustainable solar market that creates local jobs and reinvests in community development. SolarAid collaborates with rural communities, entrepreneurs, and development partners to ensure every home, school, and clinic has access to clean, safe solar power. Their solar lights replace kerosene lamps, offering cleaner, safer, and more affordable lighting. This transition helps reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and enhance safety. SolarAid’s work was recently recognised with the top prize in the International Aid & Development category at the Charity Awards.
Supporting the Mayi Walas
In 2023 – 24, HECE continued its support for SolarAid’s Mayi Walas programme in Malawi. The ‘Shining Mothers,’ or Mayi Walas in Chichewa, recruit, train and support women entrepreneurs to run solar light businesses across rural Malawi. As the primary users of household energy and trusted
members of vast social networks, there is growing evidence that women are best placed to bring renewable energy to the most isolated communities.
As a founding partner of the programme, HECE has played a crucial role in enabling these women to scale their solar businesses. SolarAid provides them with solar lights through interest-free loans funded in partnership with Lendwithcare. After a year, successful Mayi Walas can access larger loans and ongoing support through FEBCO, SolarAid’s micro-finance institution.
With the support of HECE’s funding, there are now 143 active Mayi Wala groups in Malawi. They have sold 9,179 solar lights, improving access to clean energy for over 45,000 people. HECE’s funding has been crucial in scaling up these efforts.
Over the past year SolarAid have used HECE's funding to implement two key improvements:
Motorbike Provision: In the remote communities where Mayi Walas work, roads are often in poor condition, public transportation is lacking, and hiring private transport is expensive. This year, each Business Development Officer (BDO) from Sunny Money, who trains the Mayi Walas, has been provided with a motorbike. This development will enhance the efficiency of traveling to support the Mayi Wala groups.
Community Development Officers: Mayi Wala trainings are now led by Community Development Officers (CDOs), government employees who already operate within the communities and hold relationships with the Mayi Wala groups. Over the past year, SolarAid has trained these CDOs, equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to effectively train Mayi Walas.
For more information on SolarAid, the Mayi Walas programme, and how HECE’s contributions have been utilised over the past year, please read the full report below.
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