Saving Consumers Money
ToughStuff’s products all retail for less than 10€. Because the alternatives are so expensive, a customer will save that amount in only 2 months. For the rest of the product life (which is 5-10 years), the customer will have free energy, saving an average of $98 per annum. Additionally, the ability to work at night adds 2-3 hours of productive time to an average person’s day.

Replacing C02 Emissions and Batteries
As our customers switch to solar power, they will no longer need to burn kerosene (diesel) or use batteries. We aim to reduce an astounding 199,000 tonnes of C02 emissions over the next five years and to replace 287 million batteries.

Making Homes Safer and Healthier
Our experiences have shown that parents believe solar power’s most important benefit is the improved health conditions for their children. Currently, kerosene lamps are burnt in small rooms and lead to lung disease and related health issues. These lamps are also unsafe, causing oil burns and starting fires in homes with thatch roofs. Clean energy will prevent these health issues and our LED light is completely safe. Additionally, replacing batteries will mean cleaner water for everyone.

Making Reading Possible at Night
In contrast to kerosene lamps and candles, which provide very little, unsteady lighting, ToughStuff LED lamps provide strong lighting for hours. Our customers will be able to read at night and many children will be able to do homework at night for the first time in their lives.

Creating Jobs and Businesses
ToughStuff directly employs many local people who are born and raised in the countries we operate in. We also provide a “Business in a Box” program, which equips local entrepreneurs with a set of ToughStuff products and training on how to rent or sell them to others. These village entrepreneurs own and operate their own profitable, sustainable micro-enterprises which generate enough income to provide a safe and healthy livelihood.

Improving Communications
Though there are many mobile phones in the developing world, few people are able to use them regularly. Most have to travel long distances and then pay expensive fees for each charge. A ToughStuff panel and phone cable can fully charge several phones in a day, which will encourage much more use. Similarly, radio connectors allow people to use their radios and stay connected for free.

Social Enterprise
ToughStuff exists to alleviate poverty in developing countries and to help protect the environment. We believe the best way to accomplish this goal on a broad scale is to operate as a business. By selling our products we’re able to help many more people than if we were dependent on donations to give products away. And every dollar invested in ToughStuff will be repaid and can be used again for other social causes.