ODS powers tools that connect people, save lives and invest in futures. When power is as reliable as the sun, you’re free to study, work and play without interruption. With so many benefits, both immediate and long-term, ODS products help you start living better, today.
Connectivity
ODS is committed to increasing access to power so you can stay connected to your community and the world. Mobile phone use has exploded across the African continent, fast outpacing access to electricity, and there are an estimated 500 million Africans who have mobile phones but no means to charge them.
By providing a stable energy supply, ODS ensures that you can maintain relationships with family, friends and communities, as well as take advantage of broader access to information. When you are connected with the world around you, you are free to work better, drive innovation and take a greater stake in the issues that impact your community.
And, with MobileCare, our mobile support system, you can expect top-notch customer service that guarantees interruption-free connectivity, even in the most remote areas.
Income Generation
Making Money
ODS products are distributed through local partners, creating jobs with sustainable income for those who sell and service our products in Africa. In addition to creating and sustaining full-time jobs, ODS products themselves help you to make more money by enabling you to keep your shops open later, make better use of nighttime hours, rise earlier, and generally be more productive with brighter lights and reliable connectivity.
Saving Money
Just as our products help you earn more money , they also help you save more money long-term. We know that without reliable access to energy you are likely to spend money on kerosene, candles and battery-operated electronics, and pay third parties for phone charging and the use of fuel-based generators. Even though these products and services seem relatively inexpensive on a daily basis, they add up. Take kerosene, for example — it accounts for $10billion spent every year in Africa alone. ODS products help you save money on the recurring costs of kerosene and other off-grid energy options. That money can then be reinvested in health, education, housing and better nutrition, or any number of other measures to improve your quality of life.
Environment
In lieu of access to grid electricity, roughly 900 million Africans rely on carbon-emitting forms of energy. Switching to solar is not only the economical solution to energy needs, but it is also the environmentally sensitive choice. ODS products contribute to a reduction in harmful carbon emissions, so you can feel good about protecting the environment for you and those around you.
Education
Study safe with solar light
Our bright, clean lights will enable your children to study longer and better. Studies have shown that children with access to solar lighting spend an average of 1-3 more hours studying a day, and tend to produce stronger test results. This especially impacts young girls, who often have a bigger burden of household chores and depend on nighttime hours to study and get homework done. In improving their study environment today, you can contribute to more promising futures for your children tomorrow.
Health and Safety
ODS products alleviate the risk of fire and injury associated with kerosene and candles, as well as the long-term respiratory and vision problems tied to indoor air pollution.
In addition to hurting eyes and lungs with its fumes, kerosene’s dim light negatively impacts the quality of healthcare that doctors and nurses can provide at night. A community doctor in Paynesville, Liberia, for example, reported that using kerosene lanterns had caused several complications on what should have been normal deliveries. Now that he has switched to an ODS solar system, he can see patients, handle emergencies and deliver babies at any time.
Gender Equity
The gathering of fuel-based sources of energy is most often the responsibility of women in the household, who frequently must walk several miles each day in search of firewood or charcoal. Similarly, young girls often have a disproportionate burden of household chores, and depend more on nighttime hours to study and do homework. ODS products eliminate the need to spend valuable time gathering fuel, freeing up time and resources for women and enabling young girls to get the study time they need, leveling the playing field in education and future opportunities.