23-year-old Brave Mhouie grew up in a typical household in Malawi, where only an estimated 7% of people have access to electricity from the national grid. Hired by the UK-based organization called SolarAid, Brave helps bring clean and renewable energy to his hometown of Mzuzu, in the north of Malawi. As a full-time Field Officer, Brave finds groups of young Malawians who want to start their own micro-solar business. SolarAid provides local entrepreneurs with “kits” for assembly and resale, each of which holds a micro-solar panel producing enough energy to power a cell phone, small electric shaver, radio, or LED light bulb.

Brave is a tremendous success story within his community, and a huge source of pride for his family, friends and neighbors. He has been accepted to attend the national University next year, which selects a very small number of applicants, and he hopes that one day he will become a doctor and have an even broader impact on the health and wellbeing of his fellow Malawians. His work with SolarAid has provided him with both the economic resources and powerful resolve necessary to achieve his academic and personal goals.