Village Solar

Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible mothers in Malawi! At Village Solar, we celebrate those who are not only raising families but also bringing clean energy access to underserved communities. The voices of our women entrepreneurs and their dreams inspire us daily, and today, we want to help amplify them. We asked some of these remarkable mothers: "What do you dream for your families and community?" Here’s what they shared:

SAVE THE DATES: kanthari - SPREAD THE SPICE FESTIVAL WHEN? 📅 11-12 OCT WHERE? 📍 Manaveeyam Street, Trivandrum 29 inspiring change makers from 13 countries! Here a brief introduction to a few of them: Susanna Simango from Malawi! At 16, my life took an unexpected turn, from living in the city, to a house that had no running water or electricity. After working in rural areas of Malawi, where a majority of people live in darkness, I co-founded Village Solar. My name is Susanna Simango, my venture supports marginalized women in becoming solar entrepreneurs, addressing the energy crisis that deeply affects them. Visit our stall at the SPREAD THE SPICE 2024 Festival to learn more about the environment and fascinating, innovative solar solutions. Let’s light up rural villages, one village at a time. Chipo Chikomo from Zimbabwe! Chipo knows the challenges of living in a remote rural area far away from the basic amenities. This follows the trauma she experienced when her father died and was buried in her absence simply because she was a girl child. She founded Nhanga Trust to fight period poverty in rural Zimbabwe. Her business idea is to see washable pads becoming a menstrual product of choice accessible in retail. She believes washable pads should be carefully designed to communicate to the customer that they matter enough to put thought and money into their basic need. Caren Jobita from Kenya! My journey began in the Nyalenda Slum, Kenya, where rotting waste and polluted rivers were our daily companions. Sickened by the filth and ashamed of my home’s reputation, I sought change. I got inspired by the use of Black soldier flies to reduce waste, I became interested in incubating insects to create a healthier environment. This gave hope for a future in which insects could solve unemployment, food insecurity, and pollution. Stop by our stall and get to learn more about our organization Eco Alchemy. Mala Sonawadekar from India! As a lawyer working in child protection, I was heartbroken to see how children in care homes—many of them victims of abuse and other crimes—often believe they’ve done something wrong and that’s why they’re there. Cocoon Homes is dedicated to changing that mindset. Our goal is to make sure these children feel safe and protected, but also nurtured. We want them to know they’re in a place of care, not punishment. That’s why we’re focusing on things like counseling, training caregivers to understand trauma, engaging volunteers to play with the kids, and making the spaces more welcoming Learn more about the event on: https://lnkd.in/drn3yNhq Thank you for your help by sharing this post! #kanthari kanthari #SPREADTHESPICE #ChangeFromWithin Dr. Cheikh Mbacke Gueye Büro für Wagemut - Office for Audacity Alice Nägele Dagmar Bühler-Nigsch, Frank Ekow Arkorful Caren Jobita Chipo Chikomo Adv. Mala Sonawadekar Michelle Kranz Susanna Simango Kenneth Gitari Kerala Startup Mission Fransisca Christanti Tri Wulandari

Thank you, All Good Ventures, for partnering with us and believing in our Vision! We are grateful for the opportunity to join this year's cohort of supported ventures. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to our existing partners for their continued support.

Village Solar Co-founder Susanna Simango amplifies the voices of women in rural Malawi by sharing the story of Eveless. Her story reflects the challenges faced by many women in rural Malawi, where societal norms often limit their access to resources and economic opportunities. Thanks to kanthari for the feature!

We are pleased to share that our Co-founder & COO, Susanna Simango, is among this year's 22 changemakers from around the world who have received scholarships for the 12-month kanthari impact leadership course, taking place in Trivandrum, India. We are proud of her accomplishment and the ongoing achievements of our #VillageSolar team. Congratulations, Susanna! #Impact #Leadership

We had a wonderful day observing our women entrepreneurs in action, going door to door and engaging with rural communities. It was truly inspiring. We are empowering rural marginalized women in #Malawi through clean energy entrepreneurship, offering training, mentorship, and access to technology. This equips women to run successful clean energy businesses in off-grid rural areas. Here, Malieta Laisi, one of our dedicated entrepreneurs, persuades Village Headman Mapila to invest in a solar lantern. Learn more and support our work at www.villagesolar.org

Did you know that 85% of the population in #Malawi lacks access to electricity? That's over #17million people missing out on improved living standards and economic opportunities due to this energy gap. The women we support as clean energy entrepreneurs are bringing light to those who need it most, in remote rural areas. Women like #Felizina_Kenani are spreading hope in communities without electricity by distributing solar lanterns (which are small household lights about the size of a kerosene lamp). Every sale they make isn't just a transaction; it's a meaningful step towards a fairer, more sustainable future for all. Learn more & support our work: www.villagesolar.org

Have you ever thought about summing up the work of Village Solar in just a few words? Village Solar creates jobs for rural marginalized women in off-grid, last-mile communities of Malawi through the distribution of clean energy products to low-income consumers. This means we recruit, train and offer ongoing business support to disadvantaged women, while also providing life-improving products to households in remote rural areas. #PoweringDreams

Radiant smiles lighting up our day! 😊 Meet Felezina (R) and Prisca (L), two incredible Village Solar Entrepreneurs, sharing moments of joy during today's training session. Behind these smiles are stories of determination, resilience, and a commitment to break the cycle of energy poverty in rural Malawi. We are here to support them every step of the way. Learn more about how we are working to reduce energy poverty and increase women incomes through the link below. #PoweringDreams

Congratulations to all the remarkable ventures! This support is invaluable for Village Solar, empowering us to directly impact more Malawian farmers, especially marginalized women in rural areas, where 95% of the population are living without access to energy, restricting growth opportunities. With this backing, we are better equipped to help farmers save income, improve living conditions, and enrich livelihoods through solar lighting solutions. Heartfelt thanks to MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) and the RBJ Schlegel Family Foundation for the support.