In my ongoing quest for information on how people without electricity obtain light, this one takes the cake.

In the summer of 2012, In Maasai Mara -- the stunningly wild savannah in southern Kenya, I interviewed some Maasai people about how they get light. Kerosene is a luxury for many. Not only is there a special wood called “Olorien” that has an oily consistency, allowing it to be split and burned like candles, but .... when all else fails .... they burn their sandals. The fellow promptly responded to my request for data they he burns about 6 pairs a year (and gets 8 hours of light per sandal). Replacement cost: 100 KSh/pair (about $1.50).

These sandals are made of discarded car tires, so you can imagine how they smell when burned....