PowerPack - NEW!

A small portable solar lighting system incorporating a 5W amorphous silicon solar panel, a 7AH sealed solar battery, a 2A solar charge controller and two LED bulbs with cable and switch. The unit is ideal for a small family of up to 3 persons and has provision for mobile phone charging and powering a small transistor radio for up to 6 hours.

RENT-A-LIGHT (KODESHA MWANGAZA) PROJECT
OBJECTIVE: To address the need for an affordable modern lighting solution among low-income
communities by eliminating the biggest barrier to adoption of modern lighting solutions – cost, through
use of powerpacks.

RATIONALE: More than 80% of Kenyans, in particular the vulnerable groups living in slum areas lack
access to the national grid and depend primarily on fossil fuels for their lighting needs, leading to
respiratory diseases and environmental hazards associated with indoor air pollution. While there are
several off-grid solutions available to this market including solar energy, the initial cost of these
alternatives prohibits their uptake on a large scale. Addressing the energy needs of this bottom segment
requires innovative service delivery models that increase access to modern energy on a sustainable basis,
while at the same time remain affordable to the vast majority.

INNOVATION/ECPECTED RESULTS: By providing rental Powerpacks, this project makes
electricity affordable for the majority of urban poor, rural households and slum dwellers. The rental
system allows the consumer flexibility of renting a fully charged Powerpack from designated distributors
in the neighborhood without having to invest in an off-grid power source, such as a solar panel. The
project will set up 100 distribution agents and 10 service centers for the Powerpacks to reach
approximately 8,000 households within 18 months. In addition the Powerpack will be used for mobile
charging and powering radios, and it will create a new market concept for portable electrical energy
distribution among the poor in Kenya.

These products while serving consumers have the capacity to bolster local commerce, creat jobs, enhance incomes, clean the air, and improve health, safety, and quality of life. As we prepare to usher in the holiday season, it is our strong belief that someone will consider extending a helping hand to someone in need through provision of a solar lighting kit that will change lives in ways one cannot possibly imagine.