Much can also be gained by helping landless households to get hold of non-land assets, such as livestock, or farm equipment which they can rent to farmers, enabling them to participate in the agricultural market economy in a self-employed capacity, not only as labourers. It can provide the basis for non-farm and more productive employment, allow children from poor households to perform better in school because they can do more homework, and has a variety of other benefits. Providing a light bulb or two will not change many lives for the better, however. Enabling chronically poor households to be part of the energy revolution will involve reducing the upfront costs of connection to the grid by allowing the poorest to pay the initial connection charges over long periods, or be cross-subsidised by wealthier customers. Other essential steps include extending the grid, or investing widely in off-grid decentralised and environmentally sustainable power. At the same time, energy providers need to work with other development agencies to enable the poorest households to acquire the equipment they need to render access to energy productive, thereby reducing drudgery (Scott et al.,