NURU Energy is replacing expensive, dangerous, and unhealthy kerosene in rural Rwandan households by introducing a cheap, safe, and clean night lighting solution, known as the NURU Light. The for-profit social enterprise believes that the solution to the developing world’s lighting crisis must be market-based with the mission of creating an affordable light that the world’s poor not only want, but can afford.

Why does Rwanda Need An Efficient Night Lighting System?

Most of Rwanda’s rural population uses kerosene for their lighting needs. Kerosene is hazardous for human health and the environment. It is a fossil fuel that burns with noxious fumes and according to the World Bank, 780 million women and children breathing kerosene fumes inhale the equivalent smoke from two packs of cigarettes per day. To make matters worse, in NURU’s countries of operations, kerosene-based lighting systems result in over 25 million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

The Poor Man’s Energy Paradox

The kerosene lantern is not only inefficient, it is also EXPENSIVE! Get this! According to NURU,

“The amount of light from the lamp is only about 1% of what the people in industrialized countries have for the same price and is only 0.2% as strong as a 60 watt light bulb.”

In the words of C.K. Prahalad, University of Michigan professor and author of The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid:

“[the poor’s] sources of energy are dirty and inefficient, and on a per-kilowatt basis they cost anywhere from 5-100 times more than modern fuels and electricity. The paradox is that the poor are spending a disproportionate share of their income on a product that richer people can get cheaper and of high quality”.

The NURU Light is a Market-Based Solution to a Lighting Problem

The NURU light takes into account the different needs of the rural households it serves, creating a useful product that is:

Multifunctional: The NURU light is very versatile and can be positioned in a number of ways according to the need; It can go from free-standing to being strapped around the neck or head. It can be mounted or hung or even connected with more units to form a room light. It has a 4 position switch for high, medium, low, and off.

The NURU light is very versatile and can be positioned in a number of ways according to the need; It can go from free-standing to being strapped around the neck or head. It can be mounted or hung or even connected with more units to form a room light. It has a 4 position switch for high, medium, low, and off. Efficient: Rechargeable NiMH battery which when fully recharged produces 25 hours of light (low), 18 hours of light (medium), or 9 hours of light (high) – about 3-7 days of light – in just 20 minutes of charging! The result is a 375:1 use to charging ratio, compared to just 1:1 with solar. It is bright (uses white LED lights), affordable, modular (the user can use them separately or connect them together to create a brighter light) and durable.