Earlier this month we sent a few PowerPots to Madagascar and we recently heard that someone who received a pot has set up a business using the PowerPot to charge cell phones for people in his village (In rural Africa and Asia cell phones are used not just for making calls – but also for banking and making money transfers to family members). Many families in rural Madagascar live on less than $1 per day, and pay about $.25 every time they need to charge a cell phone.
Our new friend in Madagascar works as a local church leader and has been feeding a family of 5 on about 75 cents per day. By charging his neighbor's phones with the PowerPot, he has been able to nearly double his family's income as well as eliminate the cost required to charge his own phone. He also uses a Lithium 4400 Battery to light his home at night, which extends his day by about 3 hours and eliminates the need to use a kerosene lamp – which are known to be dangerous and harmful.
Lighting homes in rural communities has also been shown to increase the grades of children, as they are able to read and study after the sun goes down (Sundown is typically about 6 p.m. near the equator). The potential to earn money could also help African families afford to send their children to High School, which costs approximately $650 per year. We are excited about the success of our new friend in Madagascar, and we are happy to see our products making an impact in people’s lives.
When we made a deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank the potential for our products in emerging markets was a big part of what helped us close the deal. To celebrate the re-airing of the episode this Friday (July 25th) as well as our new emphasis on emerging markets we've created a "Buy One Give One" promo code. Every time a PowerPot, Lithum 4400, or Practical Meter is purchased using the code we will match the products purchased and distribute them to people in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia to test them as a primary source of electricity off the grid.
Since Shark Tank aired in April, we've been able to set up tests in India, Madagascar, the Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and The Navajo Nation in Southern Utah. With your help we hope to do more testing, and to figure out the best way to bring power to the most under-electrified corners of the globe.
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