Yemen is becoming a big market for a company in Dubai that sells solar-powered products, accounting for more than half of California Land General Trading’s sales.
When Yasmeen Ali, 28, started working for her father more than a year ago, she noticed that the majority of California Land’s business came from Africa. That was thanks to political instability and poor provision of electricity in countries such as Chad, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan.
California Land sells lamps and fans powered by solar energy.
But as tensions mounted in the region, Yasmeen began noticing a shift in the company’s clientele. About five months ago, customers from Yemen, who were buying items to send to friends and family back home, made up 60 to 70 per cent of all customers.
“From first-hand accounts of the devastation in the country, I learnt that many cities in Yemen had lost electricity and power [without a stable government],” she said. “I began to realise that a product to make it easier to access electricity doesn’t necessarily require a government or much money.”
Yasmeen's father, Ishrat, set up the business four years ago after his wife told him that solar lamps were being used in India. "I went to see her cousin's lamp and it hit me," he said. The first item to be carried in the store was a solar lamp, which also included an electrical outlet to charge devices such as mobile phones. Four years ago the price was Dh350, but as costs for solar technology have declined, the price of the lamp has fallen to Dh210 today.
However, the most popular item among Yemeni customers is the solar-powered fan. “We couldn’t get enough of the fan in stock,” said Yasmeen.
California Land orders about 1,800 fans a year in two shipments. Like the solar lamp, the price of a solar fan has fallen from US$45 to $35. Ishrat Ali said he was charging customers 20 to 30 per cent above wholesale prices on average, depending on the number of items purchased.
If the fan is charged for between eight and 10 hours, it provides six to seven hours worth of use, according to him.
Ishrat works the seasons to his advantage. “In summer, I sell fans. And in winter, I sell solar hot water heating systems,” he said.
While California Land registered a spike in Yemeni customers amid increased conflict in the country, others are using renewable energy to help refugees.
There were about 20 million refugees globally at the end of last year, and data from the United Nations’ refugee agency shows that 1 million Syrians can be added to that count since January.
Abeer Seikaly, a Jordanian architect, has been studying the historical migratory process and how to “weave a home”.
In 2013, she won the Lexus Design Award, an initiative that aims to nurture and support young creators. She is now working on a prototype of a solar-powered tent made with lightweight, structural fabric.
“On one side I was rethinking fabric architecture while then addressing the ongoing refugee crisis,” said Ms Seikaly, adding that the response to housing the massive numbers of people forced from their homelands were often based on antiquated practices.
Her project is in its nascent stage, and although Ms Seikaly does not have a timeline on completing a prototype, she hopes to be able to create self-sustaining villages.
For Yasmeen, these are the types of products that refugees from conflict need. “Although I’m dealing with the business side of renewable energy products, I’m viewing this as a humanitarian issue,” she said.
lgraves@thenational.ae
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