Forty degree heat, howling desert winds and 250 kilometres of endless sand dunes, the Marathon Des Sables isn’t for the faint of heart. This self-sufficient ultra-marathon across the Sahara desert is known as the world’s toughest footrace – and for good reason. SolarAid supporter, Jon Cross, didn’t let the enormity of this challenge stand […]
“We talk so much about the delivery process – because it’s very important, and maternal deaths. But the impact of a new mother, with her new baby, who just wants to adjust…all that she wants to do is to be able to even just look at her child. To be able to breastfeed properly. […]
A report into the challenges which lead to the failure of many solar systems within health clinics in Malawi, how these challenges can be addressed and why solar systems still offer the potential to solve the energy crisis facing rural health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa.
“I love dancing with the Mayi Walas!” says Mphatso Nsewa, Programme Coordinator for our new Mayi Walas programme in Malawi. When Mphatso and the rest of the SunnyMoney team arrive at a village to meet with women for recruitment, they can already hear the women singing from a distance and they are often greeted […]
Working in partnerships with other innovative organisations is a key part of SolarAid’s strategy to light up every home, school and clinic in Africa by 2030. We are further recognising the power of women entrepreneurship in providing energy access in rural communities, where women are key change makers. This is a story from SolarAid’s […]
We are pleased to report that, after lobbying the Malawian authorities, together with the Renewable Energy Industries Association of Malawi (REIAMA) and the wider solar sector, on the 18th February 2022, the Malawi Government took the decision to remove import duties (15 – 30%) on entry level solar lights. This is hugely important. In […]
Antonia Young is the kind of supporter any charity would be lucky to have. Truly passionate about SolarAid’s work and wanting to spread the word, that’s certainly how we feel. If you’ve ever been to West London, you may have even seen her with an 1930s bicycle, fundraising by selling ice cream. “I discovered […]
A twenty minute drive down a dusty, bumpy road from the tarmac in Mankhamba, Central Malawi, sits Kachinda Moto. Surrounded by rolling hills, this small village is teeming with life. But, as the sun sets, a different story emerges. Like in most of sub-Saharan Africa, the evenings quickly turn to darkness. The darkness makes […]
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 […]
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 […]