1. Water Filters: The majority of the communities where we work do not yet have running water in their homes.  With most still collecting from springs or nearby taps.  Our filters enable people to get clean water without the need to boil, not only ensuring a healthier population but also reducing the amount of carbon-dioxide being created.
2. Fuel-efficient Stoves; Most rural Rwandans cook over wood burning stoves that are inefficient and dangerous. The smoke from wood burning stoves is linked to respiratory illnesses and the wood used in the stoves contributes to environmental degradation.
3. Solar Lamps; Additionally, there are still many rural Rwandans that don’t have access to electricity.  For a country so close to the equator where the sun sets every day at 6:30pm, this can be a huge barrier to studies and craft-work!

Many companies have developed cleaner, more environmentally friendly and cheaper sources of energy: fuel efficient stoves and solar lamps.  Sadly, these new technologies are too expensive and out of reach of most rural Rwandans who can’t afford the upfront costs of purchase, even through over time they will save money.

To overcome this barrier we purchase solar lights and fuel-efficient stoves in bulk. Because we buy these stoves and lights in bulk we are able to buy them at a discount.  We then sell the lamps and stoves to the artisan partners for the same discounted price.  However, we don’t ask the artisans to pay the cost all up-front.  Rather we ask the artisan to spread their payments over a year. The payments we receive from the artisans are then re-invested into the purchase of more fuel-efficient stoves and solar lamps, ensuring that this program can impact a limitless number of rural Rwandans.  An artisan purchasing one stove at a discount has the potential to enable hundreds more Rwandans to buy stoves in the future!

The immediate purchase of the fuel-efficient stoves and solar lamps enables the artisan’s immediate enjoyment of their benefits.  The artisans save time because they don’t have to collect firewood and even better, their food cooks faster. Their children have less exposure to cooking smoke and are healthier.  The solar lamps allow children to study longer, parents to work on their crafts later into the evening and even set up a cell phone charging business with the provided cell phone charging station.

Donations to our renewable resource program are always welcomed as this allows us to offer more discounted stoves and lamps.  And this in turn will enable Rwandan families to begin improving their health, efficiency and family income right away!  If you’d like to donate to this program please see below.