Nuru Energy
The POWERCycle pedal generator and Nuru Lights provide clean, sustainable energy anytime and anywhere, improving access to electricity and lighting for the poor. A reliable and easy-to-use solution substitutes expensive kerosene, which reduces CO2 emissions and contributes to the development of the local communities. Nuru Energy recruits and trains village-level micro-entrepreneurs (VLEs). VLEs sell the LED lights to their communities and then offer recharging services for a small fee, earning their previous daily income in just 20 minutes by fully recharging 5 Nuru Lights.
- Improving community members’ sense of self-worth by providing basic services and saving them money on kerosene.
- Enabling women to earn up to USD 1.50 an hour in profit from recharging services.
- Improving household air quality and preventing respiratory diseases.
- Preventing 50,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year by replacing kerosene lamps.
- Increasing awareness of climate change and its effects through training micro-entrepreneurs.
- Reducing household expenses on kerosene for lamps by over USD 90 a year.
- Improving people’s productivity by enabling them to work after dark wherever needed – the LED lights are highly portable.
- Promoting entrepreneurship while recruiting and training new VLEs.
Partners
Nuru Energy Uganda recruits and trains entrepreneurs to sell LED lights to their communities and then provide recharging services for a small fee.
Kiva Microfunds provides microloans to the poor, enabling them to purchase Nuru lights.
World Vision Rwanda provides Nuru lights to extremely poor households to help them save money on expensive kerosene.
World Vision Tanzania promotes sustainable electricity among local community members and helps train village-level entrepreneurs in Tanzania.
