Solar light's "Little Sun" arrives to power Africa

As Africa continues to modernize, solar energy is emerging as a key element in powering this growth.

A number of companies have initiated solar related projects to enable the continent tap into this power, which analysts say is both clean and durable.

Among them include the Little Sun, a social business focused on getting reliable and affordable light to the 1.1 billion people worldwide without access to electricity.

According to its designers, Mariana Arando and Luca Fondello, winners of an international design competition that uses Natural Light, the ‘Little Sun’ lamps address the need for light in a sustainable way that benefits communities without electricity, creates local jobs, and generates local profits.

To date, Little Sun off grid coverage has seen more than 170,000 homes covered in more than 10 African countries, including Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, and Ghana.

In April 2014, Little Sun received a ground-breaking $5 million impact investment from Bloomberg philanthropies, allowing the project to scale its operations across the African continent.