About Us
What We Do
In Haiti less than 40% of the population has access to electricity and this drops to less than 15% in rural areas. Our team is working to change that!
Brighten Haiti provides solar power to schools, hospitals, civic buildings, and families that lack electricity. Through industry partnerships, we receive donations of used or discounted solar equipment and work with local installation teams, often trained through our apprenticeship program, to maximize the amount of electricity deployed.
Our installation costs approach $1 per watt, which is an 80% cost reduction compared to U.S. systems.
Access to electricity dramatically and instantly improves education, health care, and individual productivity, making a lasting difference in the lives of every Haitian.
While solar energy is our focus, our efforts in local communities enable us to help in other ways. Recently, for instance, we filled excess space in one of our shipping containers with much needed school supplies.
Our mission: Using Solar Energy to expand education, develop sustainable economies, and end poverty in Haiti.
Ending poverty in Haiti, is admittedly ambitious. Haiti is the poorest nation in the Americas and almost 60% of its population live in poverty subsiding on less than $2.4 per day. We believe providing solar electricity to schools, hospitals, and other civic buildings is the most impactful and lasting contribution that can be made to Haiti at this time. We know we can’t do this alone, so we partner with organizations, governments, and individuals throughout Haiti.
We utilize used and discounted solar equipment from the U.S. and recruit and train local installers through our apprenticeship program. This enables us to deploy solar electricity at less than 80% of U.S. costs. Our training and partnership allow solar apprentices to start solar installations companies and become local business leaders.
Since education and healthcare are two of the most important means to ameliorate poverty, we prioritize solar electricity for rural schools and hospitals.
“Men anpil, chay pa lou.”
— Haitian proverb meaning, “but many, load not heavy.”
Our Lead Initiative: Solar4Schools
Brighten Haiti is currently working to add Solar Energy to 109 Schools in Haiti.
Brighten Haiti’s 109 school initiative, is the largest deployment of solar for schools in Haiti’s history, and it will bring power and light to schools across rural Haiti. Fewer than 35% of Haitian schools have access to basic electricity. Schools are run without lights, fans to keep classrooms cool, computers, tablets, or copiers.
Each rural school will receive a 6kW PV system. Furnishing schools with independent, off-grid solar systems will provide electricity enough to power a computer lab, high-efficiency lights, fans, and a few additional devices.
Leadership Team
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Kevin Keene
Founder and President
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Rolguens Meristil
Solar Apprenticeship Program Manager
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Nick Alex
Board Member
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Tim Ramage
Treasurer
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Nicole Santos Tomasin
Board Member
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Rusty Pittman
Marketing & Business Development Leader
Board Member -
Vernon L. Alvarez
Board Secretary
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Roxie Brown
Board Member
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