News and views

Tropical Storm Ana brings flooding and darkness to Malawi

  Tropical Storm Ana swept through Southern Africa on 24 January, battering Malawi and neighbouring countries with heavy winds and torrential downpour. Roads were destroyed, communities flooded and the national power grid devastated. Families were forced to wade through flood water in total darkness to seek safety. The government declared a state of national disaster […]

From Covid-19 to racing to End the Darkness

  Ricardo Cordeiro de Sousa is the type of guy who misses his own graduation to run marathons for a charity. He suffered badly from Covid-19 in July, but soon after recovery, he decided that he would take on a challenge to run one marathon a month to fundraise for SolarAid. He’s dedicated to getting […]

2021: Ending the Darkness – one light at a time

  As the year is coming to an end, we are taking a step back to look at all the incredible achievements we have made together. What a year it has been. Let’s look back together (we recommend full screen!).  I want to thank all of our amazing supporters who have helped us reach […]

Stories of open flames in rural Zambia

“We need to look for lamps for our house, because when we use candles, it becomes dangerous with children. You are not supposed to leave children with active fires (…) A lot of children get burnt, this is a problem, and someone can die.” In a small house in Chasefu village in rural Zambia, Richard […]

How your support is helping respond to the climate crisis

  How can I do my bit to help combat climate change? Many people seem to be asking this question right now. What can I do to make a difference? Perhaps you are watching the news coverage coming out of COP26 or listening to radio talk shows discussing how we can reduce our use of […]

A candle is lit in the dark.

No one should lose their life, trying to light their home

Almost 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have no access to electricity and for the first time in eight years, the number of families left in the dark as the sun sets in rural Africa is increasing. The desperation for light in the pitch black forces millions to burn open flames in their homes, causing […]

Press release: Brits turn to solar power for sustainable and affordable energy

  Just under half (48%)* of Brits believe solar energy is the most cost-effective form of powering light as, Over a third (37%) look to buy more solar powered products Yet, despite householders taking sustainable steps with their own energy supply, almost all Brits (82%) are unaware that 771 million people worldwide live without electricity […]

500 families’ lives are getting brighter

As you are reading this, one more family’s life is brighter. Our team in Malawi is busy right now installing solar home systems in 500 houses, a whole village in Malawi, under our project ‘Light a Village’.   Since the announcement of the project, our team has been preparing for this day. Research has gone […]

The magic that happens in the field

  “It was not easy before, we used to use phones to screen patients in the out-patient department, now all the rooms are well lit making it easy,” Keith Samanata, Community Health Assistant of Miputu Health Post, Masaiti District.   One year later, we visited these clinics to see how the solar systems were working and […]