Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 03:24 pm
SolarAid, a UK-based international development charity, is challenging the charity sector to embrace failure in its new podcast “Permission to Fail”. The podcast explores the charity’s experience of trial, error, philanthropy and entrepreneurship when delivering solar energy to last-mile communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
With around 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa yet to gain access to electricity, and with less than a decade to go until 2030, when the world is to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, SolarAid is advocating for the importance of not only embracing, but also championing failures in order to learn and succeed together.
Hosted by Kirsty Adams, the first episode of the six-part series includes guests from SolarAid, including CEO John Keane, Director of Fundraising Richard Turner and General Director of Malawi, Brave Mhonie. During the episode, they discuss how setting ambitious goals and daring to fail can inspire, elevate and take projects in new and unexpected directions.
John Keane, SolarAid CEO, said: “We knew that we were on a pathway to success but we were nowhere near to achieving it, and actually, the clock was ticking and so much more needed to be done. Then we realised, we cannot achieve this goal by ourselves, we have to do it in partnerships and we have to think again as to how we achieve this goal. And so it inspired innovation, it inspired creativity but it also inspired a lot of ‘okay, this is not enough’.”
The “Permission to Fail” podcast will be available on all major podcast streaming services from the 16th May 2023. For further information, visit SolarAid’s website.
SolarAid was established in 2006 and works to tackle poverty and climate change by providing access to clean, safe solar light in rural areas. Through its social enterprise, SunnyMoney, they are working with entrepreneurs, schools and health clinics to distribute solar lights to people without electricity in Zambia and Malawi.
Sofia Ollvid, Communication Director of SolarAid, said: “We were driven by a social mission, and selling a million [solar] lights was not enough, we knew that we needed to test and trial and do many more things that may or may not work in order to have a chance of progressing towards the mission.”
On Friday 12th May, 2023 SolarAid launched their new podcast “Permission to Fail”. The podcast encourages the charity sector to embrace failure in order to learn and succeed together in tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where 600 million people are still lacking electricity.
Hosted by Kirsty Adams, the first episode features guests from SolarAid, including CEO John Keane, Director of Fundraising Richard Turner and General Director of Malawi, Brave Mhonie. The guests discuss the importance of setting big ambitions, daring to fail and how this can inspire, elevate and take projects in new and unexpected directions.
SolarAid was established in 2006 and works to tackle poverty and climate change by providing access to clean, safe solar light in rural areas. Through its social enterprise, SunnyMoney, they are working with entrepreneurs, schools and health clinics to distribute solar lights to people without electricity in Zambia and Malawi.
Sofia Ollvid, Communication Director of SolarAid, said: “We were driven by a social mission, and selling a million [solar] lights was not enough, we knew that we needed to test and trial and do many more things that may or may not work in order to have a chance of progressing towards the mission.”
The “Permission to Fail” podcast will be available on all major podcast streaming services from the 16th May 2023. For further information, visit SolarAid’s website.
