A female entrepreneur from Stockport has launched an ethical energy company that is set to tackle the global energy crisis.
Cheryl Latham, founder and CEO of Brighter World Energy, created the buy-to-give company that is on a mission to give UK customers a great deal on their energy, but also give solar-powered energy to families in villages in Africa for the very first time.
The ambitious 32-year-old, from Heaton Moor, was inspired to create her start-up while on a trip to Kenya when she was still a student at Alliance Manchester Business School, and has since secured £500,000 of funding from a range of ethically-focused investors.
She says her aim was to start a profit-with-purpose company that will inject a new energy into an industry that is not adapting to global energy needs.
Cheryl said: “Africa is about three times the size of Europe, yet it is still in almost complete darkness, with two-thirds of people in this vast continent living without electricity and having to resort to using expensive and toxic kerosene lamps.
“Energy is life changing and my trip to Kenya was a stark reminder of this – meeting children who were desperate to learn but could not study in the evenings and fisherman who wanted to grow their businesses but needed light and refrigeration to keep stock fresh.
“Everyone should have the same right to access energy, no matter where they are born – whether it is here in Manchester or on the other side of the world.’
Brighter World will install a solar powered microgrid in an African village for every 2,000th customer that makes the switch.
The company will not be on price comparison sites, which means customers have to go direct and the money saved can be used to power Africa, alongside operating with a fair price for UK customers – beating the big six energy companies on price with a £200 saving for the average household.
Cheryl adds: “I don’t want to get pulled into a false price war that exists on comparison sites. We are a good business that wants to give people the power to do some fundamental good in the world with their purchase.
“It’s a no-brainer really. A simple switch here at home, will not only save consumers money but will turn on the lights for some of the remotest communities in Africa for the very first time. Why wouldn’t you?.”
For more on Brighter World’s mission go to BrighterWorldEnergy.com or follow @BrighterWorldUK.