Bengaluru’s Aakarsh Shamanur built a solar-powered lamp venture, Be Po-Lite, to help women vendors keep selling once the sun goes down
For many women street vendors in India, the workday effectively ends at dusk, not because customers stop coming, but because buyers grow hesitant to purchase fruits and vegetables once visibility drops. Bengaluru-based social entrepreneur Aakarsh Shamanur set out to change that with a solar-powered lighting venture.
From architecture to social enterprise
Shamanur is an architect by profession with a master’s degree in Urban Management and Development. The concept for Be Po-Lite grew out of Shamanur’s observations of street vendors being pressured to sell their goods before it was dark, and led to the establishment of the startup in 2017. “This became about developing low-cost, easy-to-maintain solar-powered lamps that would be tailor-made for street vendors.”, he stated.
More than just light
The 3-watt portable lamps do more than extend selling hours. According to Shamanur, they also illuminate vendors’ homes in the evening, helping their children study, and double as a charging device for mobile phones. He told the New Indian Express that the lamps run for up to ten hours on a five-to-six-hour charge, and that a vendor switching to the technology could save around ₹ 1,200 a month.
Starting small, aiming wide
Be Po-Lite first began to roll out its services in Bengaluru, Hubballi, and Hiriyur, with Shamanur envisioning eventually expanding the reach to woman street vendors nationwide. As a crowdfunded project, the venture was designed to provide vendors with a convenient and cost-effective, alternative means of lighting without resorting to cheaper or less reliable alternatives.
A model with lasting relevance
The initiative shows that the trend of India’s solar technology sector providing for simple solutions for everyday challenges and needs continues, especially for vendor community who work late.
