Africa-Press – Tanzania. THOUGH it is at night, the weather is cold but for Christina, Chausiku and Mwajuma life goes on as normal doing their business on the streets at late hours.
It is 8:30 pm Christina (31) the mother of three is busy selling well-roasted maize to passers-by along the Sumbawanga- Mpanda Highway.
She is confident in doing her business until late hours, thanks to the solar-powered street lights in Sumbawanga town. She confided that three years ago when there is darkness in the streets women were afraid of robbers, rapists and harassment from hooligans.
“In the darkness, it is easy to be raped, robbed and harassed,” said Christina as she holds roasted maize, ready to sell it to one of the passers-by.
When Christina is waiting for another prospective customer, another woman Chausiku runs across the other side of the road to handover roasted maize to her customer.
“Devils disappear where there is light on the streets, it was difficult to find women in the streets doing business at late hours three years ago until recently when different parts of Sumbawanga town are powered by solar energy,” she emphasizes.
She further narrates that before the installation of the street lights, most small traders used to close their business early, because there were few people after sunset.
In darkness apart from security reasons but also businesses were invisible to the passers-by Chausiku (38) a mother of four, runs a grocery shop around the Jangwani area.
“I own a grocery shop, selling liquor usually I open my business at 6:00 pm up to 10:00 pm as per government restrictive laws … But before installation of street lights at 8: 00 pm there were few people in town “ she explains.
According to Mwajuma (28), the installation of street lights not only beautifies the Sumbawanga town but also the business has grown steadily,” she said.
“We, women are also confident enough in doing business until late hours, we feel that nothing evil can harm us where there is light on the streets,” insists Mwajuma a food vendor.
She further confides that now she can earn a “super profit” of 15,000/- to 20,000/- per night.
Mwajuma reveals further that her success is attributed to the fact that her business is visible due to street lights powered by solar energy installed in her vicinity.
The Sumbawanga District Commissioner (DC) Mr Sebastian Waryuba who doubles as a district security committee said Sumbawanga town is safe from criminal activities as hooligans can no longer hide and vomit crime in darkness as they did before.
In highlighting, the installation of street lights powered by solar energy, Sumbawanga municipality is implementing 7 and 11 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are focusing on affordable and clean energy and sustainable cities and communities respectively.
As per SDGs 11, about 3.5 billion people including Christina, Chausiku and Mwajuma live in cities and towns today and about the population of 5 billion people are projected to live in cities by 2030.
The world’s cities occupy just 3 per cent of the land on earth but account for 60 – 80 per cent of every consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions, turning them a no better place to live and work.
Member of Parliament for Sumbawanga Urban Constituency, Mr Aishi Hilaly said light in Sumbawanga town is a solution for minimizing crimes against girls and women who conduct their business at late hours.
“Another advantage is that girls and women can also walk freely while doing their business at late hours when there is light on the streets without being harassed “emphasizes Mr Hilaly. He further explained that the usage of renewable energy helps conserve the environment.
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