We are delighted to announce the arrival of Pippa Palmer as interim Managing Director, while we move through the next phase of strategic planning. The appointment comes at a very exciting time, as we prepare to galvanize efforts to eradicate the use of kerosene for lighting in Africa by the end of the decade.
The appointment of Pippa means that our CEO, Steve Andrews, will focus efforts on scaling up our African based social enterprise, SunnyMoney. With the phenomenal success of solar light sales across Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia over the last 18 months, it is clear that we are close to the tipping point, where we will no longer need donor funds to sell lights, thus creating a more robust and economically-sustainable solution to poverty across the continent.
Pippa Palmer – a long-standing supporter, volunteer and advocate of ours – comes from a commercial and strategic background, and has experience of guiding organisations through change and growth processes. She will therefore be bringing both clarity and vision as we gear up to deliver our ambitious goal.
On her recent appointment, Pippa said:
“I’m delighted to have this opportunity to steer this wonderful charity into a glowing and growing future as it gears up to rid Africa of the kerosene lamp by 2020…
It’s one of the huge social injustices of our time that the crippling cost of kerosene locks billions into appalling poverty, eating 20, 30, even 40% of subsistence incomes. Yet SolarAid has proven that if we focus on mending market failure, rather than handouts, people in off-grid rural communities will willingly buy their way out of poverty by investing in solar lights.
Our first job is to scale up and attract more funding. Next, we need to increase our sphere of influence. As we look to the future, SolarAid has a significant role to play influencing others. We’re already the name on everybody’s lips, and we’re passionate about getting the world to re-think the traditional aid model by inspiring others to focus on market-led solutions that offer real choice, empowerment and autonomy to those that have previously been marginalised”.
Pippa’s extensive cross-sector experience and expertise, paired with her passion for our vision, will ensure we continue to make pioneering steps towards solarising Africa and eradicating kerosene lanterns.
Go Pippa! Go SunnyMoney! Go SolarAid!