Words by Smiley Team
Traditionally, the average university student will spend a lot of their free time lying in bed, and propping up the union bar. Not so many take it upon themselves to tackle an energy crisis in southern Africa, but Sussex University undergraduate Hlanganiso Matangaidze has done just that.
Along with two of his fellow students, Hlanganiso runs RED (Renewable Energy Development), a company that is providing clean and affordable electricity to rural parts of Zimbabwe, via the use of off-grid, home solar kits. Initially begun in late 2017 as a student project, sponsored by the global entrepreneurship platform Enactus, RED soon developed into an ongoing enterprise.
“After taking our first trip to Zimbabwe to assess the project’s viability, we just kept the ball rolling,” says Hlanganiso. “We got some funding and moved into office space in Brighton. We’ve distributed 12 kits so far, benefitting around 48 people.”
The need for this kind of energy solution is obvious. It’s estimated that more than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have little or no access to electricity. In Zimbabwe, the access in rural areas is only 16%. Hlanganiso has first-hand experience of what this can mean.
“I was born in Zimbabwe, and know how limiting it is having frequent power outages when you’re not living on the national grid,” he explains. “I emigrated to the UK as a kid, and was lucky enough to receive a good education. Africa has one of the highest primary school dropout rates, partly because many school children can’t do any work after the sun goes down.”
Using solar power kits will not only help to keep the lights on, but there are also crucial benefits to the environment and personal health.
“Kerosene lamps are used a lot, which substantially contribute to CO2 emissions,” says Hlanganiso. “Plus, inhaling those fumes can lead to serious respiratory issues. People also use a lot of firewood for night light, which has led to the loss of hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest.”
RED are currently organising their third trip to Zimbabwe, planning to scale up their operations to distribute around 900 kits. Their long-term goal is to expand into other countries in the region, including working with schools in South Africa.
Do the co-founders still find time for their studies?
“Yes, it just takes discipline,” Hlanganiso laughs. “We do uni stuff in the morning, and work on RED in the afternoon. I really enjoy it, and it’s a very positive thing to bring to the planet.”
By Theo Hooper
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