Social Enterprise Solutions Servicing Rural Communities and Sustainable Tourism Development in Indonesia

Local start-up Sumba Sustainable Solutions are partnering with rural women to reduce their domestic workload using solar-powered corn and rice mills in remote villages in Sumba, Indonesia. The mills are coupled with household Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) solar light and phone charger systems in a sustainable social business model currently servicing 2500 customers. Sumba's experience has shown that PAYG mechanisms that switch lights off automatically if repayment is not made are the key to servicing rural customers and default rates of less than 10% after 90 days are achievable, even without mobile money services. Their partnerships contribute to the Sumba Iconic Island initiative which aims to create access to alternative renewable energy which will enable gender-balanced economic well-being for all.