WakaWaka - Home & Personal Solar Light & Power Source

Photo Credit: WakaWaka

Commitment to Action

WakaWaka - Home & Personal Solar Light & Power Source

Commitment by

Business Creation Investments Ag, Wakawaka

In 2011, Business Creation committed to distributing one million WakaWaka solar LED lamps to individuals in developing countries living in off-the-grid homes. The WakaWaka lamp, meaning 'shine bright' in Swahili, is designed to fit on a bottle and uses state-of-the-art technology offering 16 hours of reading and ambient light on one single charge. With an affordable price, the WakaWaka lamp provides a competitive alternative to kerosene lamps, which have negative health and environmental impacts. In addition, an educational program related to climate change and energy efficiency will be implemented in conjunction with the distribution of these solar lamps.

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Overview

Summary

Commitment

WakaWaka - Home & Personal Solar Light & Power Source

Launched

2011

Est. Duration

4 Years

Estimated Total Value

$12,708,954

Region

Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Africa

Countries

BANGLADESH, BOLIVIA, BURUNDI, CAMEROON, Democratic Republic of the Congo, ETHIOPIA, GHANA, HAITI, INDIA, INDONESIA

Commitment by

Business Creation Investments Ag, Wakawaka

Partner(s) of the Commitment Maker(s)

Paul Naastepad, Groen en van Gestel, Do-Inc

Details

APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY
The WakaWaka is specifically designed to fit the top of a glass or plastic bottle which both allows for the reuse of bottles and creates a unique promotional opportunity for beverage distributors. Paired with a WakaWaka, their bottles will occupy a central space in off-grid family households, be it for studying, working, or cooking. In this way, the WakaWaka will stimulate brand recognition, awareness, and brand loyalty. Rapid market entry, early adoption, and mass distribution are anticipated as they will be facilitated by the logistical system of beverage companies. In addition to collaborating with beverage companies, the WakaWaka will be distributed through dedicated and location specific sales teams which will be managed by WakaWaka country managers and which will result in local job creation.
Business Creation is a strong advocate of education and works to support learning initiatives through the distribution of educational materials to schools, Non-Governmental Organizations, and communities. As a component of this commitment, Business Creation will dedicate approximately 10% of the profits from the sale of WakaWakas to fund the creation of the Climate Hero Education Program for adults and youth. In addition to educational materials (textbooks, teaching programs, etc.) that will be included with each WakaWaka, Business Creation will provide additional educational materials to schools and NGOs. The overall goal of the Climate Hero Education Program is to educate adults and youth on issues of climate change and energy efficiency. To stimulate participation in this program, school and community competitions will be organized at the local level to challenge people to come up with ideas and solutions around energy efficiency with the hope that the best ideas are implemented.
Finally, Business Creation will apply for CDM registration for the WakaWaka through the UNFCCC. Revenues from the sale of carbon credits generated Certified Emission Rights will be used to further reduce the cost of the WakaWaka to the consumer expanding the market for this product.
IMPLEMENTATION, TIMELINE, AND DELIVERABLES
Sales forecast for WakaWaka
2012 30,000 units distributed
2013 100,000 units distributed
2014 250,000 units distributed
2015 500,000 units distributed
2016 1,000,000 units distributed
Business Creation's partners in the WakaWaka solar light project include carbon, environmental and solar technology experts. This team has extensive experience with complex project management. Additionally, Business Creation has existing access to a network of people and organizations in aforementioned countries. The above numbers are conservative estimates based on known interest in the WakaWaka in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, and India. These estimates are based in part on the experience of Intivation - one of Business Creation's partners on this project. Intivation distributed over 500,000 solar cell phones in less than one year. This approach outlined for this commitment will benefit from Intivation's experience and sales network.
The WakaWaka distribution model will train and employ at least four people for each country where it becomes active, resulting in 32 new jobs created. A multiple thereof will act as regional reseller agents in all countries: planned road shows in each country will provide for part time jobs (several months) for at least 320 of these agents. Road shows are promotional events meant to attract people and generate interest in the WakaWaka. Reseller agents will interact with consumers at these road shows and will serve as first line contacts for locals following the road shows. It is estimated that approximately 10 people per country will serve as road show staff resulting in an additional 80 part time jobs generated through this commitment.
The educational program will reach everyone who purchases a WakaWaka plus those who participate via a school, NGO, or community that receives the educational materials. It is assumed that the recipient of the WakaWaka education program will share the information with family members.

Background

Electrical light is something many take for granted. Without access to an electrical grid, generating light at night is not only very expensive, but is also a health hazard and a significant source of carbon emissions. As noted during the proceedings of the Fifth European Conference on Energy-Efficient Lighting, over 1.5 billion people depend on toxic, expensive, carbon emitting kerosene lights, emitting over 265 million tons of greenhouse gasses. Consequently, the World Bank estimates that 780 million women and children breathe the equivalent of two packs of cigarettes each day as a result of kerosene fumes.
Most solar lights currently available are either too expensive or too inefficient, which makes them unsuitable to reach the majority of people in need of affordable, reliable solar cell based light. The WakaWaka uses new and patented technology that allows for charging the batteries in all weather conditions. One hour of charging yields one hour of light and, on full brightness, the lamp produces up to 8 hours of light per day, up to 16 hours of light in 'reading mode', and up to 80 hours of light in 'night safety mode'. The product is designed in accordance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) regulations for obtaining Clean Development Mechanism ('CDM') carbon credits.

Partnership Opportunities

WakaWaka is seeking additional financing and NGO partners as well as broader media support to enhance its capacity. In 2015, the number of globally displaced people around the world reached an all-time high of more than 59 million. As a social enterprise committed to ending energy poverty, WakaWaka will continue to reach the growing numbers of displaced people around the world who find themselves without access to light and power.

Progress Reports

September 2015

WakaWaka has surpassed its 2011 CGI Commitment to provide light and power to one million people and is confident that it will make another ambitious commitment in 2016. From people in earthquake-ravaged areas in Nepal to the millions in the Philippines left without light or power in the wake of disaster, WakaWaka solar lights have now reached more than 1,077,030 daughters, sons, fathers, and mothers.

In the past three years alone, WakaWaka has distributed over 215,406 WakaWaka solar lights and chargers. Humanitarian aid campaigns have covered vast geographical ground: 41 countries through 295 different projects. This included aiding 75,000 people in areas devastated by Ebola in Liberia and Sierra Leone. In Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq, WakaWakas continue to help 535,000 refugees and people displaced by conflict. In the Philippines, WakaWakas reached 110,000 displaced people following Typhoon Haiyan. WakaWakas supported 60,000 people in their continuing recovery from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and WakaWaka is en route to provide light to 65,000 people displaced by earthquakes in Nepal.

WakaWakas impact across these communities has been demonstrable, providing children with greater educational opportunities as well as families with more hours in the day to work and study, ensuring that families spend less time and money on their daily energy needs. WakaWaka's Commitment has also supported its efforts to displace carbon emissions, linking its impact directly to climate change solutions. A few of WakaWakas noteworthy successes include providing a total of 178,828,830 extra hours for work and study per year, savings on families energy expenses per year of $7,329,489 USD, and 180,299 tons of CO2 displaced per year.

WakaWaka has learned that reaching the off-grid community in a sustainable manner requires employing a variety of distribution models, such as The Virtual Grid. Most rural households in Rwanda cannot afford the upfront cost of a WakaWaka solar light and charger. The Virtual Grid, launched in November of 2014, has replaced high upfront costs of solar-powered energy with weekly payments that are equal to current spending on kerosene and mobile charging. WakaWakas are activated by weekly scratch card payments, and at the end of the leasing period the WakaWaka is fully paid for and given to its new owner. This safe and affordable pay-as-you-go energy alternative has profound impacts on family health, education outcomes, and income opportunities.

Another distribution model helpful in reaching off-grid communities is Buy One, Give One. This is intended for emergency aid relief, whereby with each WakaWaka purchased in more developed countries, a solar light is donated through partnerships with NGOs.

The last distribution model used was establishing WakaWakas as microcredits. In Indonesia, WakaWaka cooperates with local microfinance institutions to incorporate solar lights and chargers into microlending, helping emerging women entrepreneurs to dramatically reduce the time spent repaying the loan as a result of an increased capacity to generate income in the evenings and a decrease in household spending on kerosene.