About one in two people survive on less than US$1 a day in Africa. Many of the problems are due to lack of choice, power or resources. Without the ability to find work or to control any family income women are often limited to household work and child bearing. Women and their children are frequently at great risk of personal harm when financial stress leads to domestic conflict.

Private enterprise has the potential to be a prime engine for development, particularly for women. Studies show that when women earn income, they are most likely to spend it on their children’s education and higher protein family meals. Home-based enterprise has long lasting outcomes with multiple benefits for entire communities.

In 2007, we piloted income generation projects in Rwanda and Zambia. Leading an innovative private-public alliance that included eight international and local partners, we selected and trained Weza ‘Pioneers’ to establish self-financing Weza micro-enterprises. These entrepreneurs provided fee-based energy services, including phone and LED light charging and rental. We will use this successful experience as a launching platform for our lighting efforts in Africa.