More Africans have access to electricity than ever thanks to solar energy
Africa’s great size, along with a number of different factors, has made it an extremely difficult task to create electrical grids that consistently deliver power. This has led more and more people to rely on less-clean energy sources such as kerosene or diesel fuel. The good thing is Africa has Read More...
Canadians bring solar power to off-the-grid Africa
Many people dream of building their small business into an international power base, but two Canadian companies in Africa are taking different approaches to spreading the power. Jaza Energy and M-Kopa, both started by Canadians, are bringing small-scale solar energy to communities in Tanzania and, Read More...
Scientist discovers hidden mountain rainforest in Africa using Google Earth
In 2018, it may be hard to believe that there are still parts of the world that lie undiscovered. But one intrepid conservation scientist has shown that with a little patience, it’s possible to utilize some of the most easily accessible modern technology to explore the Read More...
A trip to Africa inspired these friends to create a global platform for artisans
In 2012, best pals Lauren Conrad (The Hills, fashion designer & author) and Hannah Skvarla took a trip to Africa that changed their lives. The local women they met with expressed their need for a reliable source of income to support their Read More...
Handiwork of the heart
From The Intelligent Optimist Magazine Summer 2016 On a mission to save orangutans, Willie Smits rebuilt a devastated rainforest where no rain fell, no birds sang, and the people spent a quarter of their resources just to get enough water to survive. By Rosamund Stone Zander Rosamund Zander, Read More...
Wildlife whistle blowers
Possibility From The Optimist Magazine Summer 2014 WildLeaks.org is a whistle-blowing website where people can anonymously submit information about wildlife and forest crime. Andrea Crosta, executive director of the Elephant Action League, an elephant-welfare group, started WildLeaks in early Read More...
Can this tree provide financial security for 10 million people in Africa?
An icon of the African savanna, the baobab tree produces fruit and leaves that are very nutritious and easily cultivated, even in dry environments where traditional agriculture is not possible. London-based social enterprise Aduna claims a lot of the baobab bounty goes to waste, and aspires to Read More...
Women in rural Zimbabwe weave their way out of poverty
The Lupane Women’s Centre was created ten years ago in a drought-prone area of Zimbabwe where extreme poverty and bouts of harsh hunger were the norm. Now the basket-weaving enterprise counts 3,638 members and average earnings have increased from one dollar to 50 dollars a month—a decent wage Read More...
Solar Sister empowers women in Africa to sell clean, solar technologies
Distributing solar-powered lights and phone chargers where they are needed the most, while giving low-income women the opportunity to earn supplementary income—such is the vision behind Solar Sister, a social enterprise with a presence in Tanzania, Uganda and Nigeria. With 1,500 women involved in Read More...
Urban agriculture is sprouting in Africa
The recent development of urban agriculture is not limited to the rooftops of Brooklyn and the community gardens in San Francisco. The phenomenon is surging is African cities, as rural populations are flooding to urban centers in search of better opportunities. In some places, it was sowed by Read More...