The sun is something that can be counted on in Kampala, Uganda. Even during the rainy seasons, the rain is usually brief and puddles are quickly lapped up by the sun’s rays. Every day laundry is strung out to dry — and does so in only a few hours.
The power of the sun is something Uganda has in abundance, but is just beginning to harness. Many experts are hailing solar power as the country’s key to progress. In 2012, The Daily Monitor published a collection of articles reflecting on Uganda’s past and speculating about Uganda’s future. One article, written by Peter B.O. Nyeko of the Institute for National Transformation, began with the bold title: “Uganda Tops World in Solar Power Potential.”
The series suggests that closing the gap between Uganda’s potential and actual production is something that the country will need to work towards.
Barefoot Power, a company that produces and sells solar panels and charging stations, is trying to close this gap on the grassroots level.
“The potential for solar in Uganda is still virgin…Over 6 and a half million households in Uganda are in need of this solar, ” stated Frank Neil Yiga, business training coordinator for Barefoot Power Uganda.
The story behind Barefoot Power expresses the company’s core goals. In 2005, Australians Harry Andrews and Stewart Crane were contracted by the Australian government to set up an electricity plant in New Guinea. When the project was completed, the men sat down outside to enjoy a beer and look at the work they had done. As night fell they realized that the wires they had built were passing over hundreds of homes that were left in the dark. They had been contracted to set up power distribution, yet this power was not reaching the people who needed it.
Confronted with this irony, Andrews and Crane discussed what they should do to resolve it. As they conversed, they began to notice the fireflies flickering around them. This inspiration would lead to their primary product, the Firefly, a small solar light and phone charging station. Suddenly, Barefoot Power was born.
At a conference in Ghana, Ugandan entrepreneur James Wire saw the Firefly and insisted that it needed to come to Uganda.
“Harry Andrews came [to Uganda] in 2008 to see the market. He came with about 100 Fireflies, and he was surprised — within a month, they had sold out. They were not prepared for that kind of response,” Yiga explained.
The strong response, of course, demonstrated an obvious need in the market. Straddling the equator, the sun sets promptly around 7 p.m. every night, all yearlong in Uganda. When darkness falls, the villages fall silent and the shops of Kampala are dotted with smoking kerosene lanterns.
“The need is great…The deeper you go outside Kampala, the worse it becomes. For people in the villages, shops close at 8 p.m. In most areas in the country, urban centers will have power — but even two kilometers out (1.2 miles), no power. There are even areas in the town centers which have no power. That’s how bad it is,” Yiga added.
The most popular form of light is kerosene.
“The kerosene lamp that is most popular is called the tadoba; it’s an open flame lamp with a string. This lamp has been proven to be dangerous to the lungs and, over time, to the eyes,” said Yiga.
The kerosene lamps are not only a health concern, they are also a constant financial drain for Ugandans living in poverty. According to Yiga, most small homes spend about 500 UGX (20 cents) on fuel every day. While this daily amount is manageable, it adds up to 180,000 UGX ($69) per year. To put it in perspective, a good month’s wage for laborers in Uganda is 150,000 UGX ($57); for those living on the poverty line, spending over a month’s wages on lamp oil is a huge expense.
Since mobile phones changed the landscape of communication in East Africa, another constant expense for Ugandans who live without power is phone charging.
