The Mwezi Foundation is a small international development charity which works at the intersection of poverty alleviation, renewable energy and carbon reduction.

Escaping poverty through better education

We donate portable solar lights to schools in rural villages in Kenya, where entire communities lack electricity. Pupils in the oldest year groups – ages 11-14 – borrow the lights on a rota basis to take home overnight and do their homework. Over time, this typically means they gain higher grades and are more likely to progress to senior secondary school and complete their education. It is well established that a good education is the surest route out of poverty.

Solar power not kerosene

As well as boosting education, our lights replace kerosene lamps, which are notoriously polluting. This reduces carbon emissions and helps mitigate climate change. The lights also improve people’s health (avoiding the lung, skin and eye problems associated with kerosene) and boost family incomes - because solar power is free whereas kerosene is expensive.

Building the circular economy

Additionally, we offer a sector-leading repair guarantee, which means we never send broken lights to landfill. We replace any malfunctioning light from our stock, free of charge to schools, and repair the broken one in our own workshop in Mombasa. If a light really cannot be repaired, we salvage all possible parts for use in other repairs. In this way, we are helping to build the circular economy.

Our website has lots more information and some wonderful case studies about the students and communities we are helping.