Barefoot Power A case study in Uganda 1

• Published in: Microfranchising pp. 50 - 68
• Main Author: Andrews, Harry
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2011
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Barefoot Power; Solar Lighting Systems; High Quality Entrepreneurs; Firefly; United Nations Development Programme; NGO Network; Solar Lamps; Business Management Results; Credit Repayment; Microfranchise Programme; Franchise Agreement; Fan Milk; Microfinance Institutions; Kerosene Lighting; Energy Poverty; Popular Opinion Leaders; BRAC; Business Plan Summary; Master Franchise; Fire Fly; Kerosene Lamp; Solar Energy Enterprise; NGO Partner; Microfranchising Model; Base Technologies
• ISBN: 9781906093433; 1906093431
• DOI: 10.4324/9781351278720-5

In this chapter, the author explores the fact that Barefoot Power has a particular interest in the synergies between microfinance and microfranchising. He attends the conference representing Barefoot Power, a new solar energy enterprise, as an exhibitor. The marginal cost of attending the conference in Canada was seen as tolerable for cash-strapped start-up. Looking back on the event, the author thinks of how our product range was far from developed. In fact, it looked like a mismatch of products, more appropriately referred to as prototypes that had been assembled in a garden shed. Three things struck him about the event. First, Barefoot Power was the only product supplier in a 2,000-delegate summit. Second, he was absolutely overwhelmed with the interest in the low price points that were advertising for prototype lighting systems. Third, the author attends a session where Jason Fairbourne was presenting on the Scojo Foundation's microfranchising experience with vision entrepreneurs.