1. What is the mission of HERi Madagascar and how does it contribute to sustainable development in rural regions?
Our mission is to provide energy access solutions to populations that are not connected to the power grid. In Madagascar, only 36% of the population has access to electricity, and even within that percentage, reliability is a major challenge. With most people living in isolated rural areas, connecting everyone to the grid will be difficult, if not impossible, in the near future. That is why we focus on decentralized, innovative solutions such as solar kiosks and solar kits. Since our creation in 2012, we have been committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to communities that would otherwise remain excluded.
2. How does HERi contribute to clean and sustainable energy access across Madagascar?
We pioneered the solar kiosk model in 2012. These kiosks are equipped with solar systems that provide energy services to local communities. People can charge their phones, rent solar lamps, access printing services, buy refrigerated drinks, and power small devices. For rural households, these services are transformative.
Five years ago, we expanded into distributing solar kits directly to households through a network of agents who go door-to-door. These kits include solar panels, batteries, lights, radios, TVs, and other accessories. Because many families cannot afford an upfront purchase, we provide financing options, allowing them to pay little by little.
Madagascar faces two major challenges: lack of access to electricity and widespread poverty. Our role is to bridge both gaps, delivering decentralized, affordable solar solutions while ensuring financing mechanisms make them accessible.
3. Can you describe the mobile energy kiosks model and its impact on local communities?
The solar kiosk is a 15–30 square meter structure fitted with solar panels. It centralizes basic energy services for an entire village: lamp rentals, phone charging, printing, refrigeration, and sometimes even internet.
When we launched the kiosks, many villages had never had electricity. Suddenly, people could charge a phone without walking kilometers, light their homes with solar lamps instead of candles or kerosene, and keep shops open later into the night. The social impact has been huge, improving education, safety, and health, while reducing toxic smoke from traditional lamps and lowering fire risks.
Economically, the kiosks also help local businesses. Shopkeepers can operate longer hours, hairdressers use solar-powered tools, and small entrepreneurs benefit from affordable energy. Today, solar kits go even further, bringing clean electricity directly into households and changing daily life at a fundamental level.
4. What partnerships have been essential to HERi’s growth and success?
Partnerships are critical. On the product side, we work with d.light, a leading global supplier of solar solutions. Financially, the Malagasy government has played a key role by exempting solar products from customs duties and VAT, keeping prices affordable for households living under $2.50 a day.
We also benefitted from a project of the Malagasy government financed by the World Bank–financed (OMDF program), which provided results-based subsidies to support our distribution network and after-sales services. This program made it possible for us to raise further capital from international impact investors, such as Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) in France, who came on board in 2022.
5. How does HERi integrate gender inclusion and youth empowerment into its model?
Female entrepreneurship is part of our DNA. In fact, the “HER” in HERi is a nod to the women-led entrepreneurship model we started with. Many of our kiosks have been managed by women who are trusted community members. Within the company, more than half of our directors and managers are women.
We also provide opportunities for young people, Madagascar is a very young country, with 60% of the population under 25. While the fieldwork can be challenging, we train and support young employees, helping them grow with the company.
6. What are your future projects to extend HERi’s reach?
We are close to reaching 200,000 households, impacting about one million people. By 2030, we aim to reach one million households and improve the lives of five million people.
Our expansion will continue nationwide, even into the most remote areas, despite infrastructure and connectivity challenges. We are also diversifying, exploring affordable smartphone distribution with financing options, and promoting improved cooking stoves to reduce charcoal use, which is a leading cause of deforestation in Madagascar.
7. How do you envision collaborations with investors from the Emirates and the Gulf?
Madagascar has a vast untapped energy market. More than 60% of the population, over five million households, still live without electricity. Meeting this need will require investment across the spectrum: grid extension, mini-grids, and individual solar solutions.
For investors from the Gulf, opportunities exist to finance diversification projects, strengthen equity, provide concessional debt, or partner with HERi to leverage our nationwide distribution network. Our local knowledge and established presence make us a strong partner for larger energy companies that want to expand into inclusive energy access.
8. Finally, what message would you like to send to Khaleej Times readers about investment opportunities in Madagascar?
Madagascar is a country full of potential, young, fast-growing, and in need of infrastructure across all sectors, especially energy. For impact-driven investors, this is fertile ground.
Inclusive investment here is about more than returns, it’s about transforming lives. With patient capital and a long-term vision, investors can both generate value and make a meaningful impact. The ecosystem is developing, the government is supportive, and local entrepreneurs are ready. For those willing to engage, Madagascar offers unique opportunities to combine profitability with lasting social and environmental progress.
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