Susanna Simango & Village Solar
Susanna Simango is the co-founder of Village Solar, a social enterprise launched in 2023 to expand clean energy access while creating income opportunities for rural women in Malawi. Working through Village Savings and Loan Associations, Village Solar provides solar lamps and home systems, group-based financing, and business support so women can become independent sales agents. Since launching, the initiative has trained 45 women who have distributed more than 800 solar lamps and home systems, reaching 4,000 people with clean, affordable energy and reducing reliance on kerosene.
In 2024, Malawi’s foreign currency crisis exposed the country’s dependence on imported solar products. In response, Village Solar created Kwathu Kuwale (“Let My Village Have Light”), an initiative to locally produce solar lamps using bamboo. Through this program, 15 women from Chimwaza Village will form Malawi’s first women-led energy cooperative, jointly owning and managing a solar workshop and leading the shift toward locally made, sustainable energy solutions.
Since receiving their Giving Joy microgrant, the Village Solar team has made remarkable progress. After severe flooding during the 2025/2026 rainy season, the project was relocated from Chimwaza Village to Mtalipobwera Village in the M'bwatalika area — a more stable site with better drainage, protecting the project's long-term future.
The Tipindule Women Group ("We Shall Prosper") has been formed. From 63 applicants across two villages, 15 women were selected as the first cohort after interviews and literacy assessments. They have completed four introductory sessions together and are preparing to begin formal training the moment the workshop opens.
Construction of the training workshop is now approximately 70% complete, thanks to another grant awarded to the group. The foundation, walls, ring beam, and roof are all in place. Flooring, windows, doors, plumbing, and electrical finishing remain — with full completion expected by July 2026. The facility will include a training room, offices, a kitchen, toilets, a reception area, and space for hands-on vocational work.
Alongside construction, critical infrastructure has been secured:
Solar power system — a 16kVA off-grid system (two Deye inverters, four Deye batteries, 300 solar panels from Moving Windmills), funded by kanthari Foundation Switzerland, will provide clean, reliable electricity for the entire facility.
Workshop power tools — professional Makita cordless tools (sanders, angle grinders, die grinders, impact drills) have been procured with support from The Bronwen and Brian Mills Educational Trust.
Water system — a Grundfos submersible pump has been procured (also via Bronwen and Brian Mills) to replace the current manual rope-and-bucket well arrangement.
The Giving Joy $500 microgrant is designated for the final, essential layer: specialized training tools including multimeters, soldering irons, electrical testing equipment, and related accessories. These are the hands-on instruments the 15 women will use every day — and without them, training cannot begin in full. This contribution fills the critical gap between a constructed workshop and a fully functioning training centre.
With completion just weeks away, your support is turning a vision into reality for 15 women who are ready to lead Malawi's clean energy future.
