SunnyMoney Malawi

SolarAid first opened its SunnyMoney office in Malawi in 2006. Since then, SunnyMoney has been building a sustainable solar market in Malawi through the sale and distribution of pico-solar lights.

In Malawi, 89% of the population is living without access to electricity. Through SunnyMoney and innovative programmes like Project Switch, launched in April 2019, we are working to combat energy poverty and climate change, providing rural communities clean energy solutions that work until no one is left in the dark.

Malawi in numbers

85%
live without access to electricity.
300K
solar lights distributed.
1.5M
people reached with clean, renewable light.

Solar stories from Malawi

What happens when a village gets light?

In April last year, we launched Project Switch in the village of Mandevu in central Malawi. The village was unelectrified and the majority of people were forced to use dangerous or toxic alternatives to get light after the sun had set. We wanted to help solve this.

Solar lights bring security to the village

Nelia Mbewe lives with her 5-year old twin daughters Glory and Grace in Mandevu village, Malawi. Nelia used to be scared every night as the sun set. With her solar lights, Nelia and her daughters feel safe again.

Malawi’s ‘Shining Mothers’ will bring solar to rural communities

Women are key change-makers in providing energy access to rural communities and we recognise that having women at the forefront of our work is essential to achieving our mission of lighting up every home, school and clinic in Africa by 2030, using safe, clean, solar power. That is why we are launching the Mayi Walas programme, to recruit, train and support female solar entrepreneurs in rural Malawi.

"I love my job because I get to be one of the people to reach out to the community with clean energy thereby improving their lives and help in combatting poverty."

DALITSO JUDITH KUDALA, PROJECT SWITCH COORDINATOR, Malawi