Humanitarian - Little Sun

Energy Access in Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation

Background

There are more than 65 million displaced people on Earth today – more than any time in History. This means 20 people are driven from their home every minute. Whether this is due to an armed conflict of a natural disaster, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in immediate need of water, food and shelter. Without rapid deployment of the necessary medical supply, their health is at risk. And after dusk, displaced communities are mostly plunged in the dark, without protection.

Without in-house expertise in energy access, humanitarian organizations often rely on outdated energy solutions, which are expensive, low-quality, and not adapted to emergency settings. Thanks to Little Sun’s unique business model and in line with our mission, we are able to sell high-quality products merely at our cost to company to qualified humanitarian aid and development organizations.

“With light, people have the opportunities and freedoms that are lost when the sun goes down.”
– Paul McCallion UNHCR

Technical specifications

Product Name	Little Sun Original	Little Sun Charge	Little Sun Diamond
Product Type	Solar lamp	Solar mobile phone charger and lamp	Solar lamp
Full Technical Specifications	[Link to pdf]	[Link to pdf]	[Link to pdf]
Charging time in direct sunlight	5 hours	5-7,5 hours	5 hours
Lighting Duration	4 to 50 hours	14 – 45 – 150 hours	5 hours
Light Output	8 to 29 lumen	8 – 25 – 75 lumen	29 lumen
Battery type	LiFePO4
Battery size	400mAh	4400mAh	300mAh
Battery lifespan	5 years
Phone charging capacity	N/A	1 full smartphone per day	N/A
Solar panel type	Monocrystalline panel from highly efficient SunPower solar cells
Solar panel size	0,5W	2,5W	0,5W
Durability	UV, impact, weather and dust resistant
Warranty	2 years
Quality	Complies with the World Bank’s Lighting Global Quality Standards
World Bank’s Lighting Global Certification	[Link to pdf]	[Link to pdf]	[Link to pdf]

Pricing

		Little Sun Original	Little Sun Diamond	Little Sun Charge
Unit price		7$	7$	28$
Minimum Order Quantity – 1 Pallet	Sea Freight	2.304 units / 16.128$	2.880 units / 20.160$	576 units / 16.128$
Minimum Order Quantity – 1 Pallet	Air Freight	1.728 units / 12.096$	2.160 units / 15.120$	432 units / 12.096$

NB: These prices only apply to qualified organizations implementing humanitarian aid and develop projects! Shipment from Hamburg, Germany, is not included and varies depending on country of destination and type of freight. These prices are for planning and procurement purposes only and do not constitute official quotes. To request a specific quote, please use the contact details below. You can find some quotes here by way of example.

Logistics

Little Sun provides swift logistical support to humanitarian organizations, from invoicing to custom inspection documentation, to door-to-door delivery. We usually work with a global shipping company and can ensure very competitive shipping rates.

Specifically designed with a high-density packing ratio, our lightweight products are perfect for rapid deployment by air shipment into difficult-to-access terrain.

Packing quantities
	Air freight		Sea freight
	Carton	Pallet	Carton	Pallet	20’ Container
LS Original	72	1.728	72	2.304	28.513
LS Charger	18	432	18	576	6.912
LS Diamond	90	2.160	90	2.880	34.560

Packing dimensions
		Carton	Pallet / air freight	Pallet / sea freight
LS Original	Size	52x39x24cm	120x80x160cm	120x80x208cm
LS Original	Weight	13kg	330kg	442kg
LS Charge	Size	59,20×36,60×23,40cm	120x80x204cm	120x80x208cm
LS Charge	Weight	13kg	425kg	430kg
LS Diamond	Size	59,5x38x22,5cm	120x80x160cm	120x80x208cm
LS Diamond	Weight	12kg	305kg	400kg

« The most important item I have received in this distribution is the solar light because I have a small child who needs to be taken care of at night. »
– Nyadhial, beneficiary of an hygiene kit from Oxfam, South Sudan, 2015

Impact

Little Sun has become the light of choice in the humanitarian sector. Our high-quality solar products are increasingly successful with refugees, IDPs and host communities in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Niger, Rwanda, Nepal and Greece among others – as a source of reliable light and energy and as a source of pride, happiness and empowerment.

Access to a personal, portable light reduces violence against women at night in refugee camps. Solar lights are also safer and healthier than open flame lamps. They enhance children’s education by extending hours of study, and they save households money, which they can spend elsewhere.

Access to affordable and clean energy is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 7), and humanitarian and development practitioners increasingly recognise its transversal impact on Education (SDG 4), Health (SDG 3), Fight against Poverty (SDG 1) and Climate Change (SDG 13). (Read more on this in SE4All’s report: “Why Wait? Seizing the Energy Access Dividend”)

“Put solar lighting in camps, for example, and you help ensure the safety of women refugees, while also benefiting their children, as they have more time for their studies. It’s in our interest at UNHCR to be eco-friendly, and it’s through new partnerships with the private sector that we hope to scale up good practices.”
– Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 2012