With a Single Light ~ Watts of Love

Thinking about our rural communities and the number of challenges they face as each night falls;

• With most rural communities having no access to clean lighting, most of them use unclean lighting such as kerosene and firewood. These lighting sources are not only environmentally harmful, but they also have negative health effects ranging from eye problems to respiratory difficulties.
• Access of such lighting sources like kerosene requires a daily expenditure. For rural households with limited sources of livelihood and poverty stricken, the daily cost of buying kerosene, candles or other lightings add pressure to the little income these households get.
• For the few community members that have small businesses with very small profit margin, they are forced to close with the setting of the sun. As the darkness sets in, they can no longer operate the small dark shops as well as their security become compromised. Hence, this reduces the working hours.
• Think about the casual workers who must report to the casual work very early in the morning and come back late in the evening. Little or no time is left for them to work on their farms or do daily chores. Some have some pieces of land but have no time to even grow vegetables to feed their families.
• Wild animal attacks is another challenge that affects our rural communities with constant attacks on livestock, crops and even humans by such animals like elephants, hyenas, buffaloes and other wild animals. These animals take advantage of the night as it falls to attack causing uncountable losses.

With all these challenges, poverty has continued to strike our rural communities from generation to generation. Advancing sustainable development in such an environment characterized by limitations has been a great challenge. A challenge worth addressing. Thanks to Watts of Love.

To address these challenges, an amazing intervention was born; Solar lights by Watts of Love are an amazing and impactful innovation. Why this innovation?

• The light use solar energy hence no need to incur any cost to recharge;
• It has adequate lighting that can be adjusted according to the need;
• It is safe to be used even by the school going children to do their studies with no risks involved;
• Can be used to scare away wild animals and most importantly;
• It comes with a financial literacy model that encourages the beneficiaries to save the daily costs they were incurring before getting the light (old money) plus any additional revenue they get from extended working time (new money) to gradually invest.

The model encourages the beneficiaries to start small investments such as buying chicken and growing these investments with time to a stable source of livelihood, hence ending generational poverty.

With the simple innovation of a small solar lights and training on financial literacy, Watts of Love have truly impacted our rural communities, ending generational poverty and promoting sustainable development. This article appreciates the amazing work done by Watts of Love and continues to encourage such interventions.

Appreciations to Nancy Economou , Connor Economou and the entire team of Watts of Love for this great and impactful innovation.