A new social enterprise HERi Madagascar, has developed an innovative, healthier and affordable solution to providing lighting to rural parts of Madagascar.
The current population of Madagascar is nearly 23 million people and a huge percentage of the 15+ million rural populus live without consistent access to electricity. Kerosene lamps are used to provide light in remote areas all over the globe, and the associated health dangers, fire hazard and safety issues are now widely publicised, not to mention the costs of paraffin fuel, but there’s often no alternative option.
In the absence of the development and capital needed to set up an electrical grid infrastructure, the greatest success stories tend to be in cost effective, innovative solutions. One recent example in Madagascar, set up in 2012, is social enterprise HERi Madagascar.
HERi has developed a locally-run and potentially scaleable model for providing renewable power to off-grid locations. Rural communities provide a small level of investment to fund the construction of “Energy Kiosks”, which are built and set up in less than one week. The electrical solar system – including solar panels, batteries and an inverter – is then installed by HERi’s technicians with a DV (12v) and an AC (220v) output. The facility acts as a stand alone energy point where lamps can be recharged, as well as other electrical devices such as mobile phones, and even fridges – providing cooling for vaccinations, juices and more.
Circulate spoke with HERi PR manager Samy Rakotoniainaher, who explained that the kiosk network is run as a franchise model. Female entrepreneurs manage the kiosk business locally and get the revenues from the different charging, lighting and other offers available.
The initial investment is higher than buying a lamp, but HERi has calculated that they cut energy costs by up to 40%, as well as averting the negative health effects (and costs) of kerosene. The fact that it is executed using renewable energy is highlighted as an added bonus, but that perhaps misses the point, these innovations are in fact only made possible by the opportunities that renewable technologies provide. In a remote area where there is no grid, solar is by far and away the best option.
HERi aren’t the only innovators in this space. GravityLight is one example that doesn’t even require sunlight, meanwhile Pollinate Energy run a similar programme in terms of providing cost effective solar solutions as a replacement for kerosene in Indian slums.
All of these ventures not only have a positive impact, while also proving that it can work from an economic perspective, they also demonstrate a type of holistic thinking. They show that effective and affordable solutions can be developed, if innovation is allowed to thrive, even in restrictive conditions.
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