SolarAid is an international charity founded in 2006 to combat poverty and climate change. Through our social enterprise, SunnyMoney, we provide access to solar lights in Malawi and Zambia to help catalyse solar markets with renewable light.
590 million people in Africa alone have no access to electricity. Without electricity families have no clean source of light, leaving millions to rely on expensive and dangerous alternatives.
Solar lights are safe, clean and affordable. It is a small, but smart innovation that gives off hours of light in the evening so families can earn, learn and feel safe after dark. Just one lamp can transform the future for an entire family and is the first step out of poverty
Q&A
Our mission is to light up every home, school and clinic in Africa by 2030, using safe, clean, solar power.
SolarAid operates in sub-Saharan Africa, right now in Malawi and Zambia. Head office is located in London, UK.
2006
John Keane
East Africa
As an international charity, which runs a social enterprise, we are able to focus on testing and developing business models and partnerships which aim to reach the poorest households and communities – to build a more inclusive marketplace. We are also focusing on developing models which use plug and play solar to help electrify rural schools, clinics and business. Achieving 100% access to solar lighting and power is the metric we use to measure success, over and above any other metric.
We have a long history of innovation and trialing models which increase access to solar light and power. As well as carrying out research to improve understanding of the barriers which prevent marginalised populations from accessing solar light and power. In 2022, we would like to work with more partners to help us have a greater impact in new geographies and also to increase our collective understanding of what we can do to increase energy access and achieve SDG7.