Help to Light Up 6,000 Households In 3 Villages

Esther  lives in Mphamba village, Lumezi District, where more than 600 households have no electricity and rely on kerosene lamps for light. Each evening she lit a tin lamp that cost her family about K80, filled the kitchen with smoke, and gave too little light for her two children to read. The fumes left her daughters coughing, and she worried about the health risks kerosene poses for women and girls, and for unborn babies.

In 2024 Kukula Solar distributed solar lamps through community charging stations in Mphamba, Tigone and Kanyanga. Esther's household received one lamp, part of a plan to place 6,000 lamps with 6,000 families living on less than $2 a day.

Now the lamp hangs from the roof beam at dusk. Her children study for two extra hours under clean light, and their teacher says their reading has improved. Esther no longer buys kerosene, saving about K2,400 each month that now goes to maize meal and school fees. Across the three villages, those individual savings add up to as much as $1 million a year, while displacing kerosene avoids more than 10,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

For Esther the biggest change is simple: night no longer ends learning. Her daughters can do homework, she can cook without smoke, and the light she once paid for daily now comes free from the sun.

In Chiwoko village, Zambia, solar lights have brought brightness to homes and lives. For families here, evenings are now spent doing homework, reading, or even running small businesses - all thanks to reliable solar power. Kids are studying longer, with some even scoring better grades since the lights were installed. Women are crafting or trading, contributing to the family income. Communities gather for social events, sharing stories and laughter under the warm glow of solar lights.

The impact goes beyond just light. Solar-powered lights have reduced reliance on kerosene lamps, cutting down on household air pollution and fire risks. With more productive hours, families are saving money and investing in their future. Some have even started new businesses, like phone charging stations or small shops.

Chiwoko's transformation shows how solar lights can uplift rural communities. As one villager put it, "The lights have brought us together, and we're achieving more than we thought possible." With continued support, Chiwoko's progress can inspire other villages to shine brighter, literally and figuratively.