Solar panels actually aren't a great option here believe it or not. People have been trying for a long time to get them working well and they just don't. Typical problems are theft, quick degradation from too much sun etc.. They are also pretty darn expensive.
There are other options though. One of the more interesting ones is being done by Nuru, which sets up micro-businesses of people who charge lights / phones / radios using a pedal powered generator. Those generators are really simple, last a long time and they are set up right from the start to provide an income source for the owner.
That said, smartphones aren't really viable for the 'villagers' for a while still, charging every day really isn't practical even with something like that, it is just too expensive. But there are still a ton more just above them that live in more urban environment where electricity is available, and for them cheap smartphones can really change things.
There are other options though. One of the more interesting ones is being done by Nuru, which sets up micro-businesses of people who charge lights / phones / radios using a pedal powered generator. Those generators are really simple, last a long time and they are set up right from the start to provide an income source for the owner.
That said, smartphones aren't really viable for the 'villagers' for a while still, charging every day really isn't practical even with something like that, it is just too expensive. But there are still a ton more just above them that live in more urban environment where electricity is available, and for them cheap smartphones can really change things.