Kathryn Farley
Kathryn Farley, an MIPP student at The Elliott School, recently traveled to Tanzania to launch a new project with her organization, Solar Sister. Solar Sister is a social enterprise, created in 2010, that recruits, trains, and supports female clean energy entrepreneurs in Tanzania and Nigeria. Through this project, Solar Sister will work to expand its network and customer base in under-served and low-income communities in Tanzania who suffer from adverse financial, health, education, and safety impacts of energy poverty (according to the 2016 United Nations Human Development Report, Tanzania ranked 151 out of 188 countries in the world, falling in the lowest human development classification, and is one of the most energy poor countries in Sub-Saharan Africa – with over 76% of 49 million people without basic electricity access). Solar Sister targets female entrepreneurs, utilizing their vast networks to market, sell, and deliver clean energy products – like solar lanterns, solar cell phone chargers, and solar home systems – to last-mile customers most affected by energy poverty. These customers are often overlooked by traditional commercial business models. Solar Sister Entrepreneurs bring light, hope, and opportunity to their communities, and experience increases in status, decision-making power, income, and access to networks as a result.