Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) LLP provides a full scope of legal services to the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions. The global law firm has more than 3,000 lawyers advising clients across more than 50 locations worldwide, including London, Houston, New York, Toronto, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Sydney and Johannesburg, covering Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. With its global business principles of quality, unity and integrity, Norton Rose Fulbright is recognized for its client service in key industries, including financial institutions; energy, infrastructure and resources; technology; transport; life sciences and healthcare; and consumer markets.
In October 2024, the Responsible Business Committee of NRF Amsterdam decided to donate USD 5,000 to Smiling Through Light (STL) for the purpose of enabling the further expansion of our work in the Buya Romende Chiefdom. Saskia Blokland, Managing Partner Norton Rose Fulbright Amsterdam: "It was a no brainer for the Responsible Business Committee in Amsterdam to donate to the project Buya Romende of Smiling Through Light. Our colleagues Omar Salah, Tamara Ubink and Jan de Wit worked closely with Mariama Kamara earlier this year and experienced the impact of the initiatives of Smiling Through Light on communities in West Africa. To be able to help this valuable project in Sierra Leone is an honour and we hope this will have a positive impact on the community.”
NRF Amsterdam started providing STL with pro-bono support and advising them in November 2023 to review the contract for the sales of goods from our solar home system manufacturer SPARK, establishing a partnership with SPARK to enable the business to scale their Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) solutions in Sierra Leone, providing advice on the products financing and warranty and assistance with any legal issues. The team has further supported STL by including them in their Responsible Business Report EMEA 2024 and in an interview on a Dutch legal magazine as an example of their pro-bono initiatives. In July 2024, Mariama Kamara, Founder & Director of Smiling Through Light visited the NRF Amsterdam offices to meet the team and discuss plans of developing our relationship further. She said, “This partnership with NRF Amsterdam has been unique supporting us on our scaling journey to impact the lives of community members in Buya Romende and contributing to their overall wellbeing.”
Buya Romende Chiefdom is a Chiefdom in Port Loko District of Sierra Leone. Its capital is Foredugu. Located between Lunsar-Makeni Highway, Port Loko District, Sierra Leone, Foredugu is home to more than 400 people. The community has been without access to power for over 60 years because the national grid could not reach the community. Through this project, we will provide clean solar energy in rural communities like Foredugu with no access to electricity and promote sustainable economic growth. We will establish a new physical hub to sell our clean energy products, create 4 jobs; 2 locally trained women entrepreneurs who will sell energy products on a commission basis, an Area Sales Manager and a Solar Installer and educate the community members about clean energy products. Alexandros Germanis, Non-Executive Director of Smiling Through Light said, “This generous support from NRF Amsterdam enables STL to expand clean energy access and create economic opportunities in Buya Romende, advancing our shared goal of a sustainable, empowered Sierra Leone.”
At STL, we see Corporate Social Responsibility as more than just good business—it’s a commitment to meaningful impact. NRF’s support is supporting STL to bring clean energy and sustainable growth to Buya Romende, creating real and long-lasting change together. NRF are demonstrating how companies can use their skills, knowledge and resources to make a different to their clients and wider communities that they operate in helping to share the future in a way that provides economic, ecological and social benefits for all. “We are grateful to have NRF Amsterdam as a corporate supporter working and supporting us achieve our vision to provide clean energy access, economic opportunities, women empowerment whilst reducing CO2 emissions and therefore mitigating climate change.” said Mariama Kamara, Founder & Director, Smiling Through Light
This donation will support STL in achieving its overall vision of a West Africa where off-grid communities are no longer underserved and have access to clean, reliable, sustainable energy. We see a future in which women can generate income for their families, and remote communities no longer experience extreme poverty.
Learn more about the law firm here: https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-gb
