NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Monday, November 10, 2014

Giving to charity, not shopping for stuff, is the way most of us think about supporting international development. OK, so there’s fair trade, but what else besides?

From small social enterprises to big labels, we look at five examples of consumer brands trying to harness the power of High Street to benefit low-income communities around the world.

1. WakaWaka: letting the light in

Over 90% of households in Liberia and Sierra Leone are unconnected to the power grid. As the fight to stop the Ebola epidemic continues, health workers and families often find themselves struggling to deal with the disease in the dark. In response, Dutch solar-lighting manufacturer WakaWaka is pledging to send around 2,000 of its LED lamps to Ebola-hit areas of west Africa.

The donation drive is integrated into its current Kickstarter campaign. For every investment on the crowdfunding site, WakaWaka will send at least one free solar light for use by health care workers and others.