Escaping poverty with solar power
Solar Fire Concentration Ltd. creates new, sustainable income opportunities to empower people by providing mecanic solar concentrators and training in Burkina Faso. In this beautiful and yet very poor country, women and young people in particular lack opportunities to earn a living and escape poverty.
The project provides people with professional mechanical baking solar ovens: The Lytefire solar concentrator is simple to manufacture and maintain. Yet, it is a very powerful technology reaching more than 300°C only with direct sunlight. Instead of using gas, charcoal or electricity, users can use direct solar energy to bake bread, roast nuts and seeds, dry fruit and much more. This saves energy costs (time and/or money) and people are no longer exposed to the smoke of burning wood or charcoal. In addition, deforestation and climate-damaging CO2 emissions are reduced.
In order to develop income opportunities, the users receive appropriate training. In the first part they learn the technical aspects of Lytefire technology. The second part includes basic training as a baker. The third part covers entrepreneurship topics such as accounting, wholesale, how to contact clients and much more, in order to be able to be successful with their independent business.
The project aims at motivated womens’ groups or cooperatives, who are willing to learn to run their own solar businesses. With the support of the Jansen PrimeSteps Foundation, 50 women in Burkina Faso will be trained and supported in this way.