Yassin

Yassin Mwenda is a 37-year-old solar entrepreneur from Machinga in Malawi. He lives with his wife and four children, three of whom go to school currently. In Yassin’s village of Machinga, there is a real lack of access to safe, clean and affordable electricity.

Yassin is proud to have been a solar entrepreneur with SolarAid for over two years. He says he became a solar entrepreneur to sell solar lamps so he and his family can have better living standards, and to help his customers. SolarAid is a charity with the mission of lighting up every home, school and clinic with safe, clean and affordable solar power in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.

With this loan, Yassin will purchase solar light stock, such as special ‘solar home systems’, which can light three rooms at once. Customers pay a deposit fee, and Yassin will provide free installation. Yassin’s customers then pay on a ‘rent-to-own’ basis, which means they only pay for the energy they use. In addition, customer service representatives can provide hands-on repair if need be.

This is part of SolarAid’s latest innovation, Project Switch, which aims to light up entire villages in an affordable and risk-free way for customers. This is the first time this type of system has been made this affordable, and customers will have ongoing access to repair.

Just one solar light has a transformational impact on the livelihoods of families; with children doing on average an extra hour of studying every day, and parents able to run businesses later into the evening.

With this loan, Yassin is looking forward to boosting his business and being better able to support his family.