DFID - UK Department for International Development
Elias tailor Mobisol customer Arusha 01
Elias, aged 70, has been a tailor all his life, since he turned 18. He's had his business working from his home in the hills outside Arusha, Tanzania since 1979.
But in the last 2 years, he's been able to dramatically grow his income and business, after buying into a Mobisol solar power kit. This means he now has enough solar electricity to power an electric overlocker sewing machine, as well as light several rooms in his home, run a TV and provide a mobile-phone charging service in his village.
"As soon as I saw the Mobisol system, I knew it would make a big difference to my life - so I saved up some more money until I could afford it", he says.
"I bought the 200 Watt system as I wanted to have as much power as possible - not just for lighting but so that I could improve my business as well.
"The electric overlocker makes sewing much easier on my 70 year old legs - as it means I don't have to operate a foot pedal anymore!"
"But to be honest, I now make more money from charging people a small amount each time they need to charge their mobile phone than I do from tailoring.
"We also used to have to pay for kerosene to provide light in the evening, but now the solar electricity is much cheaper and it means we can work later into the evening".
"The money I've saved on kerosene, and the extra income from charging mobile phones, has helped me improve my house and build an extra room which I plan to rent out now as well".
The solar power system Elias has installed is designed more for small businesses and costs the equivalent of about £80 from Mobisol to fit. They also provide 80 Watt and 120 Watt kits which are proportionally cheaper. Customers then pay a monthly fee of between £14 and £23 over a period of 3 years, after which the equipment becomes theirs to keep.
"I make around £36 a month from the mobile phone charging", says Elias
"The market rate for making a pair of trousers is about 1000 schillings (£0.30), and I can only make a few pairs per day. But I can charge up around 20 mobile phones a day, and make about the same amount of money (approximately £1), so it's doubled my income."
Mobisol is one of 10 solar energy companies that are receiving 'results-based finance', as part of a scheme supported by UK aid, being implemented in Tanzania by the German development agency GIZ and the Dutch NGO SNV.
The companies receive financial incentives depending on meeting set targets for increasing the numbers of people who have access to solar energy. Less than 14% of Tanzania's 41 million people have access to the electricity grid - and of the three quarters of the population living in rural areas, only 2-3% have access to electricity - making Tanzania one of the most 'energy poor' countries in the world.
Picture: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development
Elias tailor Mobisol customer Arusha 01
Elias, aged 70, has been a tailor all his life, since he turned 18. He's had his business working from his home in the hills outside Arusha, Tanzania since 1979.
But in the last 2 years, he's been able to dramatically grow his income and business, after buying into a Mobisol solar power kit. This means he now has enough solar electricity to power an electric overlocker sewing machine, as well as light several rooms in his home, run a TV and provide a mobile-phone charging service in his village.
"As soon as I saw the Mobisol system, I knew it would make a big difference to my life - so I saved up some more money until I could afford it", he says.
"I bought the 200 Watt system as I wanted to have as much power as possible - not just for lighting but so that I could improve my business as well.
"The electric overlocker makes sewing much easier on my 70 year old legs - as it means I don't have to operate a foot pedal anymore!"
"But to be honest, I now make more money from charging people a small amount each time they need to charge their mobile phone than I do from tailoring.
"We also used to have to pay for kerosene to provide light in the evening, but now the solar electricity is much cheaper and it means we can work later into the evening".
"The money I've saved on kerosene, and the extra income from charging mobile phones, has helped me improve my house and build an extra room which I plan to rent out now as well".
The solar power system Elias has installed is designed more for small businesses and costs the equivalent of about £80 from Mobisol to fit. They also provide 80 Watt and 120 Watt kits which are proportionally cheaper. Customers then pay a monthly fee of between £14 and £23 over a period of 3 years, after which the equipment becomes theirs to keep.
"I make around £36 a month from the mobile phone charging", says Elias
"The market rate for making a pair of trousers is about 1000 schillings (£0.30), and I can only make a few pairs per day. But I can charge up around 20 mobile phones a day, and make about the same amount of money (approximately £1), so it's doubled my income."
Mobisol is one of 10 solar energy companies that are receiving 'results-based finance', as part of a scheme supported by UK aid, being implemented in Tanzania by the German development agency GIZ and the Dutch NGO SNV.
The companies receive financial incentives depending on meeting set targets for increasing the numbers of people who have access to solar energy. Less than 14% of Tanzania's 41 million people have access to the electricity grid - and of the three quarters of the population living in rural areas, only 2-3% have access to electricity - making Tanzania one of the most 'energy poor' countries in the world.
Picture: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development