Context:

Access to electricity is enjoyed by 80% of the global population, but only 30% of the African population. More than 500 million people on the continent live without electricity, the majority of whom live in rural areas. 

In countries such as Liberia, there is virtually no access to electricity and often the only option is to install a petrol generator or to have no electricity at all. This is an acute issue for education – without electricity, schools cannot access digital resources or hold classes once the sun goes down.

To: Approach

In May 2016, To: co-founders Nachson and Arieh saw the opportunity to collaborate with education and solar initiatives to bring affordable sustainable energy to Liberian schools, creating lasting change by improving access to electricity and the quality of education in Liberia.

To: introduced the founders of the educational organization Bridge International Academies to the founders of the solar company Solektra. We then partnered with multi-talented Senegalese-American performing artist and entrepreneur Akon to bring the Akon Lighting Africa initiative to the country, with the support of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Development rests on the provision of quality education, but it is impossible to provide quality education without reliable energy. This project involved the provision of clean and affordable solar energy that would enable schools to use modern technology, supporting teachers and students alike.