Pearson Kristine
Organization: Lifeline Energy
Year Founded: 1999
Country: South Africa
Website: www.lifelineenergy.org
Lifeline Energy’s mission is to transform lives through dependable, self-sufficient and environmentally friendly technologies. Focus: Education, Energy, Environment, Technology, Communications Geographic Area of Impact: Sub-Saharan Africa Model: Hybrid Non-Profit Number of Direct Beneficiaries: 8 million (2009) Annual Budget: US$ 2.5 million (2010) Percentage Earned Revenue: 20% (2010) Recognition: Schwab Fellow of the World Economic Forum Background The link between poverty and the lack of access to clean, modern energy is profound. Energy for lighting and communications are basic needs, and often out of reach for millions in developing countries. This is a deprivation of a basic human right. Lack of access to clean energy forces a dependence on dangerous and polluting kerosene as well as disposable batteries, which are toxic, costly and energy inefficient. The people who need clean energy technology the most are often the ones that can least afford it, such as women, children, refugees and other vulnerable groups. Lifeline Energy wants to change that. Innovation and Activities Lifeline Energy conducts extensive end-user research then develops and distributes appropriate, clean energy products, including radios, a range of lights and MP3 enabled radios that allow pre-loaded educational content as well as audio Internet and cellular content access. All are powered by solar and human energy. The sola and wind-up and Lifeline radio, for example, is easy to use and carry, receives excellent AM/FM/SW and plays for 24 hours with a single charge. The radio design, provides access to information and education to the world’s poorest people. To help meet the need and demand for portable clean energy sources, Lifeline Energy has expanded into the renewable lighting sector. After conducting lighting needs assessments of vulnerable households in rural and peri-urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa, a range of fit-for-purpose clean energy lights called Lifelights is being created to improve the quality of life and reduce reliance on hazardous firewood, kerosene and candles . More than 450,000 radios and lights, impacting over 10 million lives have been distributed to date, contributing to a significant reduction in the use of batteries and fuel-based lighting sources. With its focus on improving access to education and lighting by providing appropriately designed and powered products, the Lifeline Energy has secured the support of many leading institutions and individuals, including Academy Award winning actor, Tom Hanks, who serves as an ambassador and champion for the organization. To further ensure its own sustainability, in 2009, Lifeline Technologies Trading, a for-profit company, was created by the Lifeline Energy to develop and market appropriate energy and health products to the humanitarian sector. All profits will further advance Lifeline Energy’s mission and operations. The Entrepreneur Founding CEO Kristine Pearson understands that energy poverty is a key lever to sustainable development, particularly for women and children. Pearson is American-born and after immigrating to South Africa in 1988, she built a successful consultancy specializing in the development of women in business, which led to an executive position at a South African banking group. Lifeline Energy is structured on a business model. Pearson serves on the Women’s Leadership Board of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and was honoured with the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award in 2005. TIME magazine named her a Hero of the Environment in 2007. Her Lifeline radio concept won the first Tech Museum Innovation Award in 2001.
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