d.light Secures $3.4M Grant to Supply 10,000 Solar Home Systems to Refugees in Uganda
What’s this about?
- d.light has received a $3.4 million grant from Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and Energising Development (EnDev) to provide 10,000 subsidized solar home systems to refugees in Northern and Western Uganda as part of a larger initiative to supply 23,000 units.
- The grant is contingent on results-based financing, ensuring funds are provided only for installed systems, which include high-efficiency LED lights, an FM radio with MP3 playback, mobile phone charging, and a portable solar flashlight.
- Founded in 2007, d.light has significantly impacted over 150 million people by selling nearly 30 million clean energy products, including solar lanterns and home systems, promoting better living conditions and income opportunities in underserved communities.
Zoom in…
d.light, the solar products and affordable finance for low-income households, has received a USD$3.4M grant from Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and Energising Development (EnDev), to provide 10,000 subsidized solar home systems to refugees living in refugee camps in Northern and Western Uganda.
Context
The 10,000 units are part of a wider initiative to supply 23,000 solar home systems to Ugandan refugee communities who have fled conflict in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
By the Numbers
675 million people worldwide live without electricity and about 2.3 billion people lack access to clean cooking. This has a dramatic impact on livelihoods and the environment. d.light’s solar solutions change that by making clean energy products universally accessible and affordable. d.light envisions a brighter future where everyone can enjoy the benefits of affordable energy while uplifting their communities.
The project, which began in April is scheduled to run for 12 months. Funds from the grant are subject to results-based financing (RBF) and d.light will only receive funding for solar home systems that have been installed. Each solar home system from d.light features three high-efficiency LED lights, an FM radio with MP3 playback, mobile phone charging capability, and a portable solar flashlight.
What they are saying…
In a statement, d.light’s Managing Director for Uganda Douglas Gavala said, “With this grant, we can expand the important work we’re doing to improve living conditions for underserved refugee communities from South Sudan, the DRC and elsewhere who are living in refugee camps in Uganda.”
The Big picture
The solar home systems are expected to significantly improve the quality of life and well-being of households – by providing entertainment, local and global news on the radio or enabling children to continue reading and studying after dark. d.light products also bolster household income in Uganda’s refugee settlements by extending working hours for tradespeople and small businesses and providing an income for residents who work as d.light salespeople in the settlements.
Bottomline
Founded in 2007 at Stanford in California, d.light has sold nearly 30 million products, including solar lanterns, solar home systems, TVs, radios, and smartphones, impacting the lives of over 150 million people.
Source: techmoran.com
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