For many years, Venus and her family used candles and paraffin lamps for lighting. But after her husband died, Venus, who lives in a rural area of Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe, struggled to afford even the most basic of amenities. She and her three children, two of whom are at school, would go for days without proper lighting, often sitting in the dark with only the light of the cooking fire to see by. But recently, following a good harvest season, and thanks to MMF’s flexible payment terms, Venus was able to purchase an M400 solar home system. Today, Venus and her children benefit from clean and constant lighting, as well as being able to charge their phone – something they had never imagined possible. They also received guidance from MMF about how to get the most from their solar home system, which has made a huge difference to their lives – as Venus explains:
“It was initially burdensome to pay for the lights, we have had to make grave sacrifices. However, after fully paying off the loan, we still retain the benefits that include 24-hour lighting and phone charging. The lighting helps with security and most importantly safety, as we are not afraid to go out in the dark anymore. Our place is a haven for snakes and other crawling creatures and the light gives us the confidence to move around freely. More importantly, the children use the same lights for studying and we hope and expect better results as they sit for their national examinations.”
