Household solar in Malawi with Maya Stewart (Yellow Solar Power)

In this episode, we speak with Maya Stewart, co-founder of Yellow Solar Power, a digital-first solar energy retailer in Malawi.

Contact us at [e-mail]

Visit us at www.distributingsolar.com

Follow us on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/distrib_solar ) and LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/distributing-solar/ )

Episode notes:

(1:15) Introduction to Yellow Solar Power, Maya's background in marketing and her start in solar lighting technologies, growing demand for solar technologies and shift towards SHSs; the lack of initial interest for off-grid companies to work in Malawi 

(4:30) Concerns by solar companies working in Malawi due its low GDP; the beginning of Yellow working to provide electricity to 4m households; their use of PAYG / mobile money technologies and platforms

(7:30) Their lean, bootstrapped approach to starting the company

(8:30) Yellow's agent network: trying to minimise transportation costs; investments in providing news, branding, information and training of their agents; a local-focused approach in high population density areas; agents as the central point of contact for their customers for a 24 month relationship

(13:30) Yellow's digital retail approach: a remote structure, all agents are online and on Whatsapp; applications are all digital

(15:30) Progress of Yellow: Started in 2018 and their faster than expected growth; the importance of fundraising and selling 20k units by September and expecting 50k units by December 2020

(18:30) Their agent scout approach, to bring on new agents

(20:00) Their decision to focus on Malawi; the impact of deforestation in Malawi on the lake and hydropower, reducing the output and reliability of hydro electricity

(23:00) The gender impact in energy

(27:00) How lighting affects women: the need for women giving birth to provide lighting, to look after the sick, to support girl's education, providing security

(29:30) Their approach for trying to encourage more women to join Yellow: the need to have a smart phone to be an employee; their Project Khumbo to encourage women to join; how women agents can relate well with customers and build a strong customer relationship 

(44:00) The impact of lack of education for girls in Malawi

(47:00) Maya's background, growing up in Kenya and her decision to move back to Malawi after university

(50:00) Where the name Yellow come from

(51:30) Recommended book/movie: 'The boy who harnessed the wind' - based in Malawi

(52:50) Advice: Understand your customer and know what they want and need; how solar can help to solve other social problems, e.g. urban migration

(56:00) Maya and her husband's love of travelling 

(58:00) Prediction: huge growth in off grid electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa, with huge opportunity