More rural households could access power this festive season, thanks to a new campaign by Mobisol Rwanda, a solar energy equipment vendor, to light remote areas of the country that do not access the national electricity grid.

The "Walking Christmas Tree” promotion also seeks to sensitise communities on how they can use solar energy to power small businesses, besides lighting homes, to help reduce poverty in rural areas, according to Ben Okello, the Mobisol sales and marketing manager.

Okello said, "We want Rwandans in rural communities to understand the benefits of solar energy, particularly how it can help improve their quality of life and economic opportunities.”

About 25 per cent of Rwanda’s population is connected to electricity with the government targeting to increase access to over 70 per cent in the medium-term. Mobisol offers a ‘rent-to-own’ equipment supply model, providing customers with high-quality solar home systems of 100W or 200W for which customers make small payments via mobile money for up to three years. Buyers can pay as little as Rwf399 per day for the solar power systems.

The firm also provides customers other solar-powered appliances, such as haircutters, music systems, flat iron, fans, and business solutions, including multiple phone chargers.

Okello said one of the company’s objectives is to enable children in rural areas, where there is no power to use the clean energy during night preps, as well as access information via radio, TV, and the Internet.

"This will empower them to increase their educational opportunities. Besides helping to conserve the environment, renewable energy creates an opportunity for people to start income-generating activities to improve their economic wellbeing,” Okello said while speaking at the launch of the promotion last week.

Renewable energy, including solar power, is projected to contribute about 24 per cent of the total electricity needs in the medium-term.

It is also instrumental in helping rural residents avoid unsafe kerosene lamps and firewood, which expose them to health hazards, including lung cancer, which could result from dangerous carbon emissions.

Mobisol Rwanda is a subsidiary of Mobisol GNBH, a Germany-based company that deals in solar home systems.