Most households in rural Lesotho are not connected to the national electricity grid. The dissemination of solar lights and Solar Home Systems offers local families a sustainable and efficient source of light.
Many people in Lesotho use candles and kerosene lamps for lighting. The light output is thereby rather weak. Furthermore, kerosene lamps emit greenhouse gases and are harmful to health when used indoors.
The solar lamps, which are promoted by atmosfair, are a safe and efficient alternative to kerosene lamps or candles.
Everyday activities can easily be performed during evening and night hours.
Users can also carry the mobile lamps outdoors and feel more secure after dark.
Additionally to the mobile solar lamps, so called Solar Home Systems are disseminated in the project region, which include permanently installed ceiling lights.
Several rooms can be illuminated through the Solar Home Systems and provide enough light e.g. for cooking and eating after dark.
Furthermore, the Solar Home Systems offer the possibility to charge cell phones and connect – depending on the chosen size of the system – a number of other electronic devices.
The employees of atmosfair’s partner organization Solar Lights (Pty) Ltd arrange the installation of the systems.
Besides, they offer training on the proper usage of the solar technologies.
Through the solar project in Lesotho, thousands of households are expected to receive a sustainable energy supply within the next years.

Summary

Total savings :up to 2.000 tonnes of CO₂ per year
Technology transfer :Solar Home Systems with LED lights
Local environment :Avoidance of smoke and fire hazard compared to traditionally used paraffin lamps and candles
Further advantages :The usage of climate friendly solar lights avoid the emission of CO2 and other pollutants. Compared to paraffin lamps, the risk of respiratory diseases is avoided. Additionally, local employment is created through the activities.
Project partners :Solar Lights (Pty) Ltd

Climate and health friendly lighting

Lesotho is one of the smallest African countries which is located in the south of the continent and surrounded by South Africa. In terms of per capita income, it is one of the poorest countries in the world and the majority of people have to live with less than one US dollar per day. Around 70 % of the population lives in rural areas; most of the households in these areas are not connected to the public grid and thus do not have access to electricity. Therefore, these families have to use candles and paraffin lamps for lighting, which are based on fossil fuels and emit not only climate-damaging CO2 but also carbon monoxide which is harmful to health. atmosfair addresses these problems together with its local partner organization Solar Lights (Pty) Ltd by offering solar lights and Solar Home Systems to households in rural Lesotho. Thereby, the partners counteract the effects of climate change and also improve the health of users.

Reading and studying in the evening hours

Besides being brighter than paraffin lamps or candles, solar lamps are also safer in their usage. Thereby the users can use the lamps for social or educational activities during evening hours. Reading and learning aren’t limited anymore to hours of sunshine but are also possible at the end of the day. The Solar Home System has an integrated battery for operating the lamps, which can also be used for charging mobile phones or other electric devices. This is important for people in Lesotho since mobile phones are the main means of communication.

Our partner

The project is facilitated through the cooperation with Solar Lights (Pty) Ltd. Solar Lights is one of atmosfair’s long-standing project partners which is located in Lesotho. Together, the partners have already successfully implemented a project in Lesotho, where efficient cook stoves are distributed since 2011. Already back then, the idea about a joint solar project arose. Dipl.-Ing. Michael Hönes, managing director of Solar Lights (Pty) Ltd., has been working for a long time on the realization of the project. He and his company add technical knowhow on solar technology and also contribute by having a lot of experience working with local communities in Lesotho. With the introduction of Solar Home Systems, jobs will be created in sales, installation and maintenance of the systems. Additionally the awareness about climate change and renewable energies is increased.

Your contact partner at atmosfair

Zoltán Müller-Karpe
Project Developer
M.Sc. Physics
+49 (0) 30 120 84 80 – 64