Matsepiso Majoro is improving lives in Lesotho with her ingenious solar off-grid solutions. We discussed her impact one year after winning our Lead2030 Challenge supported by CEZ Group.
“When I returned from the Summit, I knew one thing: that something had changed in me,” explains Matsepiso. “My purpose had been validated, that as long as I am alive, I have a responsibility towards humanity. The Summit experience had eliminated the feeling of unworthiness and the fear of feeling too small for the things I would like to achieve and the change I want to bring to the world.”
The global problem of accessing electricity
Matsepiso is from Lesotho, a small developing country in Africa where only 50% of the 2.3 million population can access electricity. “From my experience growing up in a rural community which lacks access to electricity, I believe that a child’s prospects in life and the chances of their success are immediately affected by limited access to basic electricity,” says Matsepiso.
According to a 2024 report, 685 million people worldwide live without access to electricity, 10 million more people than in 2021. This has detrimental life-long effects such as limiting access to education, healthcare, and essential services, on top of making communities unsafe, particularly during the night. “I have seen first-hand how lack of access to electricity can alter a human being’s life, by affecting their educational foundations, their access to technology and information, and limiting their ability to grow and dream in a world which grows more digital every day.”
Mahlaseli Energy
Having grown up in a community where electricity was a luxury, Matsepiso was inspired to work towards making electricity available to everyone in Lesotho. In 2015, she co-founded Mahlaseli Energy, a renewable energy company providing solar energy and water solutions in Lesotho. “Our main Goal is to provide Lesotho with clean energy that will help both the people in our community and the economic growth of the country,” Matsepiso explains.
To achieve their goal, Matsepiso and her team work with the government of Lesotho to design, supply, and install high-quality solar products, including solar geysers, home kits, pumps, off-grid systems, and batteries, for schools, clinics, rural resource centres, and homes.
“Since 2019, we have installed 300 solar solutions for households lacking access to electricity. With these solutions, the extensive use of biomass, the major source of energy for an energy-poor household, has significantly been cut down which has directly improved air quality for the households and surrounding environment. We have also provided 120 lights to Help Lesotho, a local NGO which supports rural communities in Lesotho through life skills training programmes, which will be donated to children in two rural schools.”
Shining a light on gender inequality
In addition to bringing light to Lesotho through solar-powered electricity, Matsepiso is using her business to tackle gender inequality. “We have employed 15 female sales agents from rural areas in an attempt to tackle gender-based violence and early child marriages,” says Matsepiso. “We will continue to prioritise gender equality as we grow by maintaining a workforce that is at least 50% women.”
In Lesotho, the labour participation rate for women is 57.6%, a percentage that has decreased by more than 10% since 1990.
Connection, mentoring, and the One Young World Summit
In 2023, Matsepiso won our Lead2030 Challenge, supported by CEZ Group, which granted her access to the One Young World Summit in Belfast.
“Attending the One Young World summit in Belfast was a life-changing, once-in-a-lifetime, experience for me. I got to meet young, bright people from across the world and formed lifelong global friendships and meaningful networks.”
Along with accessing the Summit, Matsepiso also received a $50,000 grant from CEZ Group and 12 months of mentoring. “Winning the Lead2030 challenge has improved Mahlaseli Energy in many great ways. We received mentorship in various aspects of our business and are still undergoing the mentorship programme. We purchased Dlight Solar Products and Solar PayGo solutions which made our business model more profitable. We purchased a van to help us reach more remote communities of Lesotho and opened a second branch in our validated beachhead segment where we anticipate higher sales. We also hired 20 young professionals to work with us for three years and learn about our solar solutions.”
What’s next for Mahlaseli Energy?
In just one year Matsepiso has seen a huge amount of growth in Mahlaseli Energy, both through her passion for bringing light to her Lesotho community and through winning our Lead2030 Challenge. But what’s next for Mahlaseli Energy?
“My long-term ambition for Mahlaseli Energy is sustainable growth and impact over the next 5 to 10 years which involves expanding the company to reach more communities and make a larger impact on renewable energy access,” says Matsepiso. “We plan to open 10 more stores in underserved areas and establish a warehouse to increase production capacity and create job opportunities for local residents. My goal is to positively impact the lives of many individuals while creating a thriving business that contributes to the sustainable development of my country.”