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Alternative to kerosene use in rural Kenya

He said that lives have been changed through this innovation; children have more time to read, elimination of fumes and fire risks of kerosene, and more productive time of over three hours a day.

The pay as you go solar system won the 2013 Ashden Award for Innovation – worth Sh2.2 million (£20,000).

“According to the World Bank, breathing kerosene fumes is the equivalent of smoking two packets of cigarettes a day, thus has definitely reduced health complications.” he said.

Wanyonyi said the government needs to do much more to see that everyone has electricity.

“Though solar products are zero rated, this is not enough. County governments need to work with the private sector in those places where there are no lights, and help their people,” he urged.

The government is investing in several regional generation and transmission projects to tap power from Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to reduce energy costs.

In his budget speech, the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury Henry Rotich said that Sh78.5 billion will go to scaling up investment in reliable and affordable energy, of which Sh12.5 billion will be for geothermal development and Sh23.8 billion for enhancing power transmission.

Access to electricity and poverty are closely linked. Countries that have the lowest levels of electrification also have the highest levels of poverty.

Without adequate electricity and lighting, adults are unable to continue income generating activities into the evening that may lessen the burden of poverty.

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At the same time, children are unable to study, read or do school work.

Rural communities need a reliable and sustainable solution for lighting to give them hope for a brighter future.

Power blackouts are a frustration for every Kenyan, and even more so for business people, who ensure heavy costs running generators.

In the past 10 years the government has improved access to electricity from about 650,000 to 2.1 million people.

With 80 percent in darkness, there is need for more solutions of low cost sustained energy in the country.

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