A new report from Pollinate Group shows that “energy access” isn’t always about big infrastructure. In many communities in India and Nepal, small, practical products still matter – delivered by local entrepreneurs who also build an income.
SolarQuotes has been supporting Pollinate Group for almost seven years, and we check in from time to time to see how that support is playing out on the ground. Each genuine quote request donates $1, helping to fund Pollinate’s work in off-grid communities.
What does Pollinate Group actually do?
Pollinate Group operates a grassroots distribution model based on local entrepreneurs – primarily women – selling clean energy and essential household products in their own communities.
These “pollinators” are trained, supported and provided with products that meet basic needs such as lighting, cooking and home security.
The focus is not on a traditional aid model, but rather on income generation and local ownership. This approach gives communities access to useful technologies while creating reliable small business opportunities for the entrepreneurs involved.
The structure is simple: products are sourced centrally but delivered locally by people who understand the needs of their own communities.
Small solar products still play a big role
For Australian readers, solar usually means rooftop systems and batteries. But in many parts of South Asia, even a simple solar light can make a noticeable difference.
Around 59% of the communities surveyed still have no electricity. For this reason, many households rely on kerosene lamps – expensive to operate, harmful indoors and unreliable.
Switching to solar lighting brings immediate benefits: lower running costs, safer homes and more time for children to study or adults to work after dark.
In 2025 alone, Pollinate reached around 23,000 people and distributed more than 12,000 products, showing the scale of these practical interventions.
Growing companies, growing product range
A consistent theme in the 2025 report is the expansion of Pollinate’s entrepreneurial network with 557 committed women and 469 active business leaders.
The product range is also gradually being expanded beyond solar lighting. Clean cookstoves, water filters and basic household items are now part of the mix – all with the goal of reducing everyday costs or improving health.
Cooking stoves reduce fuel consumption and smoke indoors. Water filters combat fundamental health risks. These additions build on, rather than replace, the existing solar range and leverage the same proven local networks to deliver more useful products.
This trust is reflected in the way customers are reached – around 75% come through word of mouth.
From income insecurity to a small, stable business
Hamida, a micro-entrepreneur in Hogla, West Bengal, now earns a stable income selling clean energy and household products in her community.
Hamida lives in the Hogla community in West Bengal, where steady work for women is rare. Before she came to Pollinate, she had no reliable income. After becoming a micro-entrepreneur, she started selling solar lights and fans to households in her area.
The change was not dramatic, but steady. She now earns enough to contribute more regularly to household expenses and to support her daughters’ education. Through training and ongoing support, her confidence has grown and she is now thinking about helping other women in her community start similar work.
A model that can withstand harsh conditions
The model continues to function even under difficult conditions. Despite higher costs and supply chain pressures, demand remains stable as products meet immediate, everyday needs rather than non-essential ones.
They also save time – more than 82,000 hours in 2025 – and reduce emissions by almost 4,000 tonnes of CO₂.
It is equally important that the structure itself is resilient. Because sales rely on local entrepreneurs rather than external sales teams, it continues to work in areas where infrastructure is limited or inconsistent.
Building stability through two small businesses
Manu runs a butcher shop and grocery store in Milijule Tole, Nepal, as well as a small clean energy and household products business.
Manu lives in Milijule Tole in Nepal. Previously, she ran a small butcher shop that brought her only a modest and unstable income. After joining Pollinate Group in 2019, she received training, mentorship and digital support that helped her expand her work.
She now runs two small shops – a butcher shop and a grocery store – and sells staples such as sanitary pads and LED lamps.
Together, these sources of income have created something she didn’t have before: stability. It is now a trusted local source for affordable home goods and a clear example of how small changes over time can create real stability.
A small action that adds up
If you’re using SolarQuotes, you’re already there.
Every genuine quote request automatically donates $1 to Pollinate Group. It’s a small amount, but in thousands of homes it adds up to ongoing support for training, products and expansion into new communities.
If you’re thinking about solar energy, that’s another good reason to get three quotes and properly compare your options.
Alternatively, if you would like to donate a larger amount directly, go to Pollinate’s donation page.
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