Story by Maureen Mumo

“I would say the greatest challenge, when it comes to selling to the base of pyramid, is financing,” says EcoZoom Relationship Manager Caroline Matilu. “These are people who need to get the most they can from the little that they have. This consequently means that whatever product they invest in needs to live up to its brand promise.”

EcoZoom manufactures and sells products with superior quality to ensure repeat business. The people of Gede in Kilifi County, a region on the Kenyan Coast, recently had a chance to sample EcoZoom products. Gede is a remote area where the main economic activity is subsistence farming – lighting was a huge problem for them. They used tin kerosene lamps , known locally as ‘nishikie nitandike’ in Swahili. EcoZoom was able to alleviate this problem by introducing the Sun King solar lanterns, a Greenlight Planet product.

Our new customers described the benefits of their new solar lights as follows:

• They’re low maintenance and durable. The Sun King Pro 2 has few moveable parts and requires little attention once installed. The products come with a five-year battery life and a two-year warranty, which is a welcome bonus.
• The lanterns are a renewable energy source. Unlike other energy resources like kerosene (which they had used in the past), solar power is a renewable resource. Harnessing the power of the sun means they can avoid the expenses that come along with depending on finite resources. The sun is in abundance on the Kenyan Coast, and it will keep on shining well beyond human existence.
• They’re safe around children and pets. With solar lighting, there is no risk of electrocution and the lights are cool to the touch.
• The Sun King Pro 2 can power many different lighting needs. The lanterns can be used by children to study, to light the house and as a handheld lantern – and can still charge two mobile phones.
• No emissions. Perhaps the greatest benefit of using the Sun King solar lantern is its environmental impact. No emissions mean each user contributes to environmental conservation, therefore supporting their sustainable future.

Once we tackled the lighting problem, it was time to deal with the cooking problem.

Caroline went back to Gede to introduce the EcoZoom clean cookstoves. The people she met were already convinced through their personal experience that continual uptake of products by EcoZoom would guarantee transformation of their lives. There was a need for our clean cookstove since the people used the Kenyan ceramic jiko. The EcoZoom Jet would aid in saving on fuel expenditure and also help the people lead healthier lives. The day of the demonstration, five people bought the Zoom Jet. They were very excited to continue living clean, healthy and efficient lives, thanks to EcoZoom.

At EcoZoom, we get the chance to transform lives while reducing carbon emissions, one region at a time!