Challenge
Chad has one of the lowest rates of electricity access in the world. Just ten percent of the population has reliable electricity and that rate falls to about one percent in rural areas. Limited electricity impairs quality of life, business activity and even access to education, all factors that limit progress in this country which ranks 187 out of 189 on the Human Development Index.
Solution and Impact
A $10 million loan will help FinLux Ellen Sarl distribute solar kits and appliances to individuals, schools, health clinics and small businesses in Chad, providing a reliable source of power to communities not connected to an electricity grid. FinLux solar equipment is based on a battery produced in the United States, and adapted for use in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. Because women comprise more than half the company’s workforce, the project also promotes women’s economic empowerment.