After working with SunPower Builders, my family's solar design-build firm and combining that experience with my work on the ground in Togo to found SunPower Afrique (www.sunpowerafrique.org), I moved SouthCentral Kentucky. I now live in the country, am an avid gardener and work as an energy efficiency specialist. I am now extremely passionate about lighting and enjoy this new career and time in my life.
I still look forward to maintaining my idealism and inspiration, and to making change in this big-small world of ours.
SunPower Afrique: Bringing Sustainable Electricity to Microfinance Institutions in Togo
SunPower Afrique is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization aiming to power Microfinance Institutions in West Africa with solar energy. We believe that microfinance is one of the world’s most effective strategies to fight poverty; however, in West Africa, its growth is significantly constrained due to a lack of consistent access to electricity.
SunPower Afrique aims, through a pragmatic partnership between solar expertise and field experience with MFIs, to not only support existing microfinance structures and clients, but also to create jobs and to stimulate economic development in a new industry of solar system sales, distribution and installation.
Mission: To provide reliable and renewable solar power to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in West Africa, allowing them to fight poverty more efficiently by enhancing services and achieving development goals. With consistent electricity, MFIs can streamline operations to better manage and disburse loans, reduce overhead, maintain access to financial software programs, implement a centralized information management system and communicate with microfinance communities worldwide.
In addition, SunPower Afrique will create a ‘Solar Loan Program’ that allows MFI clients access to loans and trained local workers to install small-scale solar energy systems to increase the capacity of small businesses.
No comments:
Post a Comment