OOLU Solar Issue 15: Burkina Faso - 6% Bond
£106,000 | 87 | 0 |
£55 invested
Approximately every £55 invested can enable OOLU Solar to provide a entry level Solar Home System to a family previously off the grid in Burkina Faso.
1,300 families
Your investment will help OOLU to provide clean energy to 1,300 families in Burkina Faso.
OOLU SARL is a company incorporated in 2015 in Senegal and is one of the fastest growing off-grid solar companies in West Africa. "Oolu" means trust in Wolof, the local language most commonly spoken in Senegal, and so corresponds with OOLU's goal to provide quality products and after sales service that communities and customers can trust. Since their incorporation they have installed over 57,500 solar home systems to families in Senegal and Mali and have expanded their operations into Burkina Faso and Niger in 2019.
About OOLU
Key product information
Issuer: OOLU SARL
Issuing Country: Senegal
Investment target: £104,000
Minimum investment: £50
Maximum investment: No maximum
Maturity: 30 months
Expected interest rate: 6% per annum
Witholding tax rate: 10% (applicable to UK residents who do not invest within an IF ISA)
Interest payment frequency: 6 monthly
Notional repayment: 6 monthly
Financial instrument: Unsecured interest bearing bond
Security: Unsecured
Key risks
This is a bond issued by a single company (rather than a savings product) and therefore it is recommended that you are careful with the amount you invest.
You must read the investment memorandum (provided below) where a full statement of risks is presented.
Documents
What the project investment will enable
OOLU will use the funds from this raise to deploy and install 1,000 entry level Solar Home Systems (SHS) and 300 of their larger, modular SHS across Burkina Faso.
OOLU distribute solar products from selected and reliable suppliers who are Lighting Global Certified. OOLU's current suppliers are Amped Innovation and Greenlight Planet. The entry-level solar home system comes with a 5-10W PV panel, 20-40Wh LiFePO4 battery, 3-4 high efficiency LED lights and 1-2 USB charging ports. Their second system is a larger modular system that includes a 40W (up to 120W) PV panel, 100Wh (up to 180Wh) LiFePO4 battery, 6 high efficiencies LED lights, 2 USB charging ports and a TV.
Providing families and individuals with access to a TV has multiple impact benefits. Firstly, keeping up to-date with local news and weather forecasts is important to them to better understand any developments that may impact them. Secondly, educational content on TV is typically very accessible for both children and adults, who are able to learn useful topics, such as farming techniques, through engaging story-telling. Furthermore, research has shown that TV shows often inspire viewers to reach higher, driving them to study and work harder. Finally, it provides an opportunity for families and friends to gather around and strengthen important social ties.
OOLU's payment plans allow customers between 18-24 months to pay back their systems and their flexible nature allows customers to extend this period should they encounter payment difficulties.
OOLU SARL
OOLU will deploy 1,300 Solar Home Systems throughout Burkina Faso where approximately 80% individuals do not have access to electricity.
Not only will your investment into this OOLU offer allow them to make 1,300 Solar Home Systems available to off-grid families, but you'll also be helping the company to grow and provide further employment opportunities. By the end of 2019, Oolu has scaled up their operations in Niger and Nigeria and within 3 years they expect to have expanded into 9 countries in West Africa.
Social and environmental impact
SHS & lanterns have been shown to have a significant impact on customers' lives and the environment. OOLU SARL has sold over 57,500 SHS in Senegal and Mali, impacting the lives of roughly 287,500 people.
Social Impact
Social Impact statistics taken from GOGLA's July 2018 study 'Powering Opportunity: The Economic Impact of Off-Grid Solar'
91%
of solar light users who previously used kerosene lamps experienced an improvement in their health
91%
of customers purchasing a solar lantern or home system reported feeling safer since buying or using their product
84%
of households with children report that they now have more time with which to do their homework
Environmental impact
Using industry-recognised Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) impact metrics, OOLU has calculated the environmental impact of installing 1,300 Solar Home Systems as follows:
6,500
Number of people who will enjoy clean energy access
$195
Average new household saving on energy-related expenditure over solar product lifetime
1.1tonnes
Annual total greenhouse gas emissions offset per household
Offer Documents
Oolu SARL - Offer Document - Issue 15 (Log In to download)