Meet the mothers of Angaradebou.

A lengthy dry season makes growing food in northern Benin incredibly difficult. SELF's Solar Market Garden combines solar-powered pumps with drip irrigation to enable year-round food production.


Access to energy:

Saves Lives

Vaccine refrigerators, medical equipment, and water purification systems can’t run without access to electricity.

Feeds Families

Solar-powered pumps ensure clean water delivery and can be combined with drip irrigation for food production.

Improves Education

Lights, computers, and internet connectivity reduce the barriers to students pursuing an education.

Increases Income

Electricity equips entrepreneurs with tools to jumpstart small business operations, creating more robust local economies.

Project Highlights

Learn about these SELF projects that need your support.

Check This Out

Learn the Basics of Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation

Solar-powered drip irrigation is a sustainable and practical way to grow a variety of produce. Used in isolation, solar power mitigates carbon emissions and drip irrigation reduces water use. Used together, these technologies offer a climate-smart option for crop production in even the harshe...

Solar Energy for Sustainable Development

Solar energy is a powerful tool for sustainable development. To achieve key development objectives, like ending hunger, we must expand energy access. And to keep it sustainable, renewable sources are essential. Solar energy is clean, versatile, and increasingly affordable, making it a pra...

Give the Gift of Solar Power this Giving Tuesday

This Giving Tuesday, the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) invites you to join the movement to end energy poverty. For over 30 years, SELF has delivered solar powered solutions to communities who need it most. From landlocked African countries to remote island nations, SELF works around th...

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Energy poverty by the numbers

It’s about more than turning the lights on. The impacts of energy poverty span nearly every aspect of life.

2

billion people lack safe drinking water1

3.6

billion people live without adequate sanitation1

33

% of people use dangerous cooking systems2

49

% of people don’t have internet access3

Source: The 2021 Sustainable Development Goals Report

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SELF is a global leader in the fight against energy poverty. Since 1990, we’ve pioneered unique applications for solar energy, powering progress on food security, health care, education, gender equity, and more. 

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2021 L Street NW Suite 101-344
Washington, DC 20036

+1 (202) 234-7265