Solar Energy Has Revolutionized African Communities

The impoverished people of South Africa must thank the Sun. A major revolution is spreading across rural areas of Malawi, illuminating the people with affordable solar lights, now accessible to almost everyone.

The problem for these people was that electricity was no more modern than a privilege for those few who could afford it, while most burning kerosene for light, practical admittedly expensive and dangerous health risks.

Now there is a new initiative, led by Solar Aid, in partnership with the nonprofit organization TRAID, from the United Kingdom. The project is designed to protect the environment and reduce poverty in these villages, therefore, is based on inclusion in the neediest communities, lanterns that run on solar energy and light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are very simple, very accessible, and are assembled on site. This gives people an economic alternative to kerosene, while creating job opportunities for the underprivileged and the sick.

A total of 120 young people in northern Malawi, orphans or infected with the AIDS virus (HIV) are being trained to build these solar lights and also collaborate in the promotion and education on this project.

Residents of the dusty city of Mzuzu are ahead of other communities in this new modality. They have replaced about 1.5 million kerosene lamps in Malawi for solar lanterns in areas where only 2% of the rural population is connected to the electricity grid.

For the rest, there was no other option but to rely on less sustainable energy sources, such as kerosene for lighting. Radios were used for the batteries, which are very expensive. Now, one revolutionary micro solar panels can provide energy for all this. All thanks to the power of the sun … or “Mphamvu Ya Dzuma” in local dialect.