Monday, April 28, 2014

2 years on...solar light built by Nigerian women still shines bright

It's been 8 months since Solar Jooce last saw Mr. Hassan, the micro business owner. Happy to note that his kiosk is still lit up by his phone charging solar lantern. The lantern appears well worn but still fully functional. This is remarkable considering his lamp was built almost 2 years ago by rural women in Oyo State. No parts changed, all LEDs burning bright and hand soldered parts still intact. Truly rugged piece of equipment.

Word of Mr. Hassan's solar powered lamp crossed the border to the republic of Niger. A herdsman visiting Lagos from Niger republic stopped by Mr. Hassan's to enquire about a larger solar powered unit with more lighting points and a table fan. Solar Jooce was contacted and was able to find a perfect fit for the herdsman. A more powerful yet portable solar home system (SHS), which includes a 12volt, 20Ah unit, with 2 separate LED lamps and a 20 watt panel was supplied. This SHS has the additional capability of running a laptop for field crews and weighs less than 10 Kilograms making it easy to travel with.