Keeping food fresh without refrigeration is near impossible in the scorching climate of sub-Saharan Africa. But it’s hard to power fridges in a region where almost 600 million people live off the grid. That’s where Brazil’s Youmma comes in. The company has developed a pay-as-you-go solar-powered fridge that is being snapped up by small business owners. The fridges help to reduce food waste, store medication safely, and allow shops to keep products fresh for longer. Customers pay for the fridge in daily installments via cell phones, through M-Kopa, a Kenyan solar energy company. New M-Kopa customers pay a $100 deposit. Daily payments range from $1 to $1.50 for a package that includes solar lighting and covers the installation of a rooftop solar panel. If a user doesn’t pay, the fridge stops working until they do. Once it has been paid off — which usually takes around two years — the customer owns the fridge and the solar power system outright. M-Kopa says it costs more than a conventional fridge, but the package includes lighting as well as continued access to free off-the-grid energy. Although other affordable options for solar-powered cold storage are available in sub-Saharan Africa, these tend to be larger shared fridges — such as Nigeria’s Cold Hubs and Kenya’s Solar Freeze — and are mainly used to store produce after harvest or at markets. Youmma sells fridges in Uganda and Kenya, and it is looking to expand into Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
SOURCE: CNN
More Stories
South Africa Still a Long Way Off in Building a National Culture of Human Rights
After Lawsuits and Demonstrations Led by Chagossian Women, Britain Paid Some Compensation through the Mauritian Government to the Exiled Chagos Population
Sister to Egypt’s Most Prominent Political Prisoner Takes the Fight to the UN and EU
MSI Reproductive Choices in Africa Helps Women and Girls Make Informed Decisions about their Bodies and Futures
Kenya’s ‘Linda Mama’ Policy is a Step in the Right Direction Towards Universal Health Coverage
The Women and Caregivers behind Uganda’s Model for Palliative Care
Tunisian President’s Speech was Essentially the “Great Replacement” Theory, but with a Local Twist
The UN’s Largest Annual Gathering on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Tackles the Gender Digital Divide
Challenges And Opportunities – Global Survey Results On Women’s Tech Careers
WHO Director’s Insights on Health in Africa and the IIAG Results
Best Style Moments of Tems
To the World