If not now, when?

Dear Friends, we hope that everyone is doing as good as possible in these complex times – to say the least. Here are a few solar news to cheer you (and us) up!

The newsletter is written only in English now because many mail services integrate translation tools. Click here to translate this newsletter. One news in French only at the bottom though :-)

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Technical Training of Trainers (TVET)

We are always searching for ways to spread the Lytefire design more and more. Lots of projects still focus on high-tech, but we stand with simplicity and education.

The Technical ToT starts to be a real success and new projects are starting in three new African countries!

For those of you who do not know yet, this training has been created for vocational schools and TVET programs. We offer on-site Lytefire training of trainers (ToT) for the institutions to integrate our technical know-how into their curriculum. After that, the trainers organize technical training for as many students as possible. This will encourage the creation of sustainable jobs, bring more local value and reinforce local stability while promoting renewable energy for all. When needed, the technical ToT can be complemented with a short Entrepreneurship ToT at the end.

We are welcoming all the innovative NGOs who would like to work with us on the productive use of clean energy!

Lytefire's Training of Trainers →

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Lytefires everywhere in… Africa

Guinea Bissau with Swissaid

Talking about courage, we want to express gratitude to Swissaid, a new client and partner. They are going to be the very first ones to implement Lytefire ovens for different communities in Guinea-Bissau!

No picture yet to show you, but a short text below so you can understand why the introduction of productive use of solar energy can be an important step in this country. After the installation, we hope the demo days will attract more NGOs and government representatives to start a program for the farmers, the communities, the women and young entrepreneurs.

According to World Bank (Nov. 2024): “Despite having the highest natural capital per capita in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau faces significant development challenges, namely high poverty rates, political instability, and economic bottlenecks, such as over-reliance on cashew nuts and one of the lowest electricity access rates in the region. Climate change poses a severe threat, already impacting vulnerable communities living in low-lying coastal areas, those dependent on agriculture and fisheries, and the already limited infrastructure system. Without adaptation, climate risks could further increase poverty. Good governance, political stability, and a favorable business environment are essential to Guinea-Bissau’s sustainable growth trajectory.”

Ethiopia with STEM Synergy

"Innovation in action. Empowerment at its heart." That’s their motto and we share their spirit!

Our partner and licensee STEM Synergy has been implementing several amazing community and education projects in Ethiopia. Four community solar bakeries are now in place since a few months and one school and one university are equipped.

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Two solar baking activities have been installed in Qerchechie town and Bobito village © STEM Synergy

After the Emuebenan Bakery Union in Wolayta, it is now Ras Mekonnen Elementary School, Qerchechie town, Bobito village, and Debre Tabor University in Addis Ababa who have been equipped with their Lytefire solar ovens.

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Women in Ras Mekonnen Elementary School © STEM Synergy

We hope there will be more and more in this country blessed with so much sun. We wish the best of luck and courage to all the STEM Synergy team!

Mozambique with Elevate Africa

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A beautiful Lytefire PRO installed © Elevate Africa Mozambique

Elevate Africa Mozambique installed their Lytefire Oven in Mozambique. The solar powered bakery will support their youth center by reducing energy costs, creating additional income and sustainable jobs! The project was made possible with the support from the Swiss association Wungana Mozambique who recently visited the training center. Despite the complex and tense political context, they are happily baking solar "pao" bread!

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Yummy solar bread © Elevate Africa Mozambique

And much more to come!

Our dear Joan Arwa, owner of the Solar Fire Bakery in Kenya, has just opened a second shop and we will tell you more in the next newsletter, with more time! Soon in Senegal, the great project with ADSCAL will finally happen. It has been delayed a bit unfortunately because of transportation but it’s happening very soon. Other projects are also going to happen this year in Angola, Zambia, Burundi and Kenya. We’ll keep you updated in this newsletter, on Linkedin and on our website.

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How to use Lytefire during the rainy season?

As we know, sunlight is indispensable to run any Solar Oven. Lytefire PRO is equipped with a charcoal burner for the rainy season. The roasting drum to be placed inside the oven is also available. More about Lytefire PRO here:

Check out Lytefire PRO →

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Lytefires everywhere… in France

Please mark the date in your calendar: ConSolFood is happening this year in Marseille, south of France, on May 5th-8th. This event focuses on any form of solar cooking and is organized every second year by Mr Celestino Ruivo, ISE - University of Algarve, Portugal. Thanks to Mr Richard Loyen, Delegate at Enerplan, the vibrant and sunny city is going to be for a few days the Worldwide Capital of Solar Cooking (Marseille Capitale Mondiale de la Cuisson Solaire) and he is currently planning a very nice event on the last day.
We will share more information as we get closer to the date but since this edition is taking place next to the solar restaurant, Le Présage, it will for sure be great! On May 8th, our friend Sebastien Noël, solar baker at Au Soleil Levain, in Provence, will join with his Lytefire to bake delicious solar treats.

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This Lytefire Deluxe is on sale:

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Lytefire Deluxe made by CPM Industrie © Michel Mouillé

For personal reasons, our friend Michel Mouillé, from association Idée d’en Faire, has to sell his Lytefire Deluxe on a trailer with the roasting drum. The equipment has been well maintained. Michel is based in West France and if you are interested, please contact us and we will put you in touch.

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Florence and Michel run L’Epi Nature, a bakery in Epuisay (West France). They will start to use their solar oven from time to time and to promote low-tech and resilience in their region. Then progressively, they’re planning to work more and more from home, using their Lytefire and a wood oven to make yummy sourdough bread and brioches.

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A new Lytefire installed © Atelier du Ruisseau

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Pioneer’s spirit

It’s always amazing for us to see someone courageous sharing the spirit and deciding to put time, energy, effort and money into building a DIY solar oven. This one was built a few weeks ago in Mexico by Pierre Brun and friends from Quebec. Very soon the last adjustments will be done and we’ll see how it works.

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Podcast

Urs Riggenbach is one of the pillars of Lytefire and for 12 years he has dedicated his energy to advance our mission. Meaning to bring Lytefire to those who need it by working with innovative NGOs and iNGOs.

In this Business Turku podcast "Do Good, Do Business", Urs discusses Lytefire’s experience with Timea Gál Jäger.

Découverte ! (en français seulement)

Avancer, c’est participer à un réseau de qualité. On vous propose de découvrir de temps en temps des entrepreneurs et entrepreneuses qui travaillent dans des domaines différents du nôtre et qui nous inspirent beaucoup.

A l’attention des entrepreneuses pionnières et passionnées d’éthique, voici l’histoire d’une femme avec un pied en France et un pied au Bénin, le cœur bien accroché au milieu. Elle a réussi un pari fou et vient d’écrire un livre incroyable pour raconter son aventure. L’enjeu n’était rien moins que créer une marque de cosmétique totalement bio avec un site de production en Afrique et des clients en France dans le but de dégager un revenu digne pour les productrices africaines et d’amener de l’éthique dans son domaine. Ce n’est pas la première ? Certes. Mais c’est la première à durer aussi longtemps, et c’est la première à témoigner de ce que ça veut dire d’avoir créé KARETHIC. 320g de lecture dont on ressort plus fort. Un récit qui nous dit que si c’est possible (et ça l’est) alors tout le meilleur du reste aussi est possible. Foncez, achetez ce livre bouleversant, partagez cette histoire puissante, partagez vos forces.

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Resource for the future (a personal note from Eva)

How to Fall in Love with Our Future?

How are we going to get the next generation to keep courage to face the immense challenges we see everywhere and at so many levels?

I hear a lot that on top of low-tech and high-tech solutions, people need new visions and new stories to reconnect with the beauty of sharing, the peace of reconciliation and the simplicity of life.

In the UK, in 2004, Mr Rob Hopkins and others explored a certain type of future. This inspired the Transition Towns network. The aim is to increase local resilience in cities. I can’t agree with everything but I find it very interesting because it’s based on a field experiment, two decades of trials, errors and learning. And… 20 years later, 992 groups in different cities are involved.

Recently, Rob Hopkins went to the future and he shared what he saw (here). It’s funny, arty and meant to stimulate our imagination. It stimulated my general brainstorming and I hope you’ll have fun too.

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