The Times team visit

The Times newspaper has chosen to feature SolarAid as one of its three charities in its Christmas Appeal. This is really exciting news.

The Times team landed in Tanzania early in the morning. They were: Matthew Syed; the reporter and Ben Gurr; the photographer. Soon after arriving at the SolarAid office in Dar es Salaam we all set off to Homboza to visit Mshikamo Christian Women's Action for Development (MCWAD). Their mission is to support women with HIV and help put orphaned children into education. Working with SolarAid, the group has set up a micro-solar franchise to increase the profits they can channel into their cause to help more marginalised women and children.

Times journalist Matthew Syed meets villagers in Homboza. Photo © Ben Gurr / The Times.

The leader of the village had called a meeting in anticipation of our arrival. There was a presentation of the Christian organisation after which I was invited to give an unexpected presentation - in my faltering Swahili. This was received with some laughter and was followed by a series of presentations and demonstrations on solar panels.

One lady from the village, Hadija Mohammed, animatedly demonstrated how easy it is to charge and connect the solar kit explaining how excited she is to be using the micro-solar panels. She told us that she had previously spent 300 shillings a day on kerosene. Now she spends nothing on kerosene, so she's saving a lot of money, as well having a strong light in her house at night. Much better than the kerosene lamp. Hadija then demonstrated how the kit can be used to power a radio.

A young girl watches The Times team at work in Homboza, Tanzania. Photo © Ben Gurr / The Times.

The team showed one villager how to attach the leads to extend them in order to light more than one room. A great scheme set up with this particular group is the saving scheme, whereby the villagers can pay for their solar kits in instalments. This is not a service that the MCWAD would normally offer, however the leader of the village has agreed to be a guarantor for the whole village.

Since May, they have sold 80 micro-solar units in this one village. That's pretty impressive.

More updates soon...