Why NGOs are switching to solar power in crisis zones
For years humanitarian aid operations have relied on diesel generators — which are costly, logistically complex, and environmentally damaging — as the main source of power in operations. Now, a growing number of humanitarian NGOs are replacing these machines with solar power or solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Why? Because solar energy offers a better way forward: it is more sustainable, more affordable over time, and easier to deploy in hard-to-reach areas.
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![BRIGHT Products SunBell solar lamp being used to provide light while cooking]()
- Sustainability
- Stories
- Humanitarian
SunBell: first solar lantern categorized as a UNHCR core relief item
Access to light and mobile charging is a critical basic need for people forced to flee their homes. Since 2014, over 4 million SunBell solar lamps with built-in phone chargers have been distributed globally, transforming the lives of displaced families by offering safe, clean, and reliable lighting.
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![Esther, one of the 2,000 recipients of BRIGHT's SunBell solar lamp through Yara's Action Africa Initiatice, places her SunBell to charge in the sun.]()
- Stories
- Sustainability
How SunBell solar lamps are lighting up rural communities in Kenya: Esther's story
In 2020, Esther, a small-scale farmer in rural Kenya, received one of 2,000 SunBell solar lamps from BRIGHT through Yara’s Action Africa Initiative. Like many others, Esther had relied on kerosene lamps for years, enduring the health risks and high costs associated with them. Thanks to SunBell, she no longer needs to walk long distances to access electricity to charger her mobile phone or purchase expensive fuel to light her home.
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