M-KOPA

About

M-KOPA is Africa’s leading off-grid solar technology company and a pioneer of pay-as-you-go, allowing more than 800,000 low-income households across East Africa to own items that are at the heart of the household (connecting lights, charging, radios, televisions and fridges).

Approach and impact

CDC worked with M-KOPA to undertake an impact study to understand the benefits of a new solar fridge product, and how these benefits are experienced within purchasing households. The use of solar power qualifies this as climate mitigation finance, and the study showed notable benefits, many of which disproportionately impact women as primary users of household appliances. Time savings (reduced trips to markets and medical centres, reduced time spent preparing meals), cost savings (reduced trips to town, reduced food waste, reduced cooking fuel use, and bulk buying), income gains (sales of cold drinks, storing dairy products or veterinary medicine, monetisation of time savings on household chores) were generated, which mostly accrued to women. The M-KOPA refrigerator was perceived to save households around $4.82 per week from fewer trips to the market; reduced spending on cooking fuel, and less food waste due to spoilage.

Women respondents estimated higher savings on all three accounts. Expected time savings equated to roughly two hours a week per household, primarily for women. Female respondents estimated, on average, higher savings across all three of these source (+6 per cent against male respondents) and lower stress levels were reported, primarily for women.