Power for the children
A story of innovation
After becoming a father, William John realized the need to find new, innovative ways to provide for his wife Agnes and their new son.
In an effort to support his young family, William decided to tap into his village’s solar power system—the only electricity source in his Tanzanian village. His entrepreneurial journey was just beginning, and he wanted to get his wife involved in the action too!
Possessing only a primary education, William was accustomed to supporting his wife through farming. After joining the Tearfund-supported Village Savings and Loans group, he heard about a new conservation agriculture program. William enrolled and learned to cultivate millet and cowpeas in the erratic weather conditions. As an active member of the VSL group, William invested his earnings, but still wanted to think outside the box for new ways to earn more for his family.
He realized that, with the right equipment, Agnes could easily earn an income from home! He took out a small loan and purchased solar panels for his roof, along with a charging station. With this startup, Agnes could charge five phones and five batteries per day to generate income.
The couple is planning to expand in the future as demands continue to grow. They are thankful to Tearfund not only for conservation agriculture training, but for the VSL program that enabled William to participate in this lucrative business. We are thrilled for William and Agnes’ innovative and environmentally sustainable business and the way it will continue to support their family. The future is looking brighter and brighter for his family, and not just because of solar power!
