Lakshmi’s eyes gleam with pride as she takes me to the heart of her community. The tents get closer and closer to each other, the further we walk. We find a group of women waiting patiently for us to arrive, all excited to share how Lakshmi has helped them change their lives forever.
Read More

“A few years ago, none of us even knew about solar power. We relied on kerosene lamps to have some light in our homes. Fans were something we couldn’t even dream of in the absence of electricity. Kerosine itself is quite expensive, if we don’t stand for hours at the ration-shop. Despite this, it was not enough for our children to study, or for life to go on after sunset. Today, not only do we have lights and fans at home, but we are also saving a lot of money because we only need to invest once in these solar products,” Lakshmi, who works as a domestic helper in the evenings to provide for her family of 6, with 4 young children started working with Pollinate Group about 8 years ago. The idea was to make some extra money to substitute her household income. Today, however, her main incentive is ensuring no house around her is left in the dark after sunset. Till date, she has already lit up over 500 homes in her community. Moreover, she has built an incredible network of trust and reliability. She understands the pulse of the crowd, as she shows them new products and explains how they can help families take another step towards a better life. She confidently assures the group that they can reach out to her for any queries or concerns, and patiently pacifies and answers people who seem anxious about the new products. The credibility of pre-existing products and the assurance of having Lakshmi around plays a key role here. Lakshmi herself has received a smartphone from Pollinate Group as an acknowledgement of the huge impact she has helped create, and to enable her to continue doing so. Her eyes twinkle as she asks her son to get it from the room so she can show it to me. “At first, I was terrified to even touch it because I had never held a smartphone in my hand before. But my children have been showing me how to use it, and now I can do some basic, but useful things,” she shares with excitement. She and her family have now moved into a beautiful small apartment right outside her community. All four of her children are able to continue their education with online classes. She visits the community every Tuesday to share newer, more efficient products, to inform new families who move in about the benefits of using environmentally safe and cost effective appliances, and to check if anyone is having any trouble with existing products. As I leave in the evening, my heart swells with pride, watching the resilience and determination of one woman, who started out with a simple wish to add any extra money she could get to her income so that she could give her children a better life than her own. Today, she is a proud entrepreneur, who has already transformed the lives of 500 other women and their families. Lakshmi is now sending these products to her own tiny village in Gulbarga, in North Karnataka, where there is no other source of lighting for farms, fields and homes. If this is the difference one empowered woman can create, imagine what a beautiful world we can create by empowering more women to work with Pollinate Group.