This idea won a prize in the 2009 Africa Rural Connect Competition and therefore cannot compete in any subsequent ARC competitions.

Summary

Grid electrical networks are set to become the exception rather than the rule, as the world's population increasingly demands ingenuity and multiplicity in terms of its electrical supply. This change has been further amplified with the growing recognition of climate change and the need for renewable energy solutions that have a lesser impact on the global environmental commons. The challenge of supplying electricity in Africa, the continent most bereft of modern forms of energy, strongly reflects both the need for and the process of this change. Now, with the increasing availability and affordability of small-scale renewable energy there is an opportunity for a revolutionization of power supply across Africa. The recent creation of Energy For Opportunity (EFO), an organization dedicated to spreading renewable energy in West Africa, is step to help start this energy revolution, with the strategic implementation of small-scale solar projects. Starting in Benin, Mali and Sierra Leone, EFO will coordinate projects focusing on the key areas of health, education, livelihoods and skills training, bringing greater opportunities to communities, households and individuals.

Needs Assessment

The need for alternative forms of energy supply in West Africa is clearly evident. The region has recently endured a number of civil conflicts, with many countries have also suffered from histories of misrule. While the situation in the region has dramatically improved in the past few years, the scars of this history are nevertheless still very much evident and can be acutely witnessed in terms of region's infrastructure. There are many urban centres in the region, including capital cities, which lack reliable sources of electrical supply, while power grids only ever reach a very small minority of rural communities. This has hindered opportunities for development in the region, with United Nations' Human Development Report rating that that eleven out of the twenty least-developed countries in world are located in the West Africa.

The need for a solar energy revolution across EFO's current three target countries is clearly apparent. Sierra Leone is currently ranked by the United Nations as being the least-developed country in the world. It has the world's highest infant mortality rate, and an average life expectancy of only 41 years. Adult literacy is very low and currently less than two percent of the rural populace has access to modern forms of electrical supply. Youth unemployment is also high, and the need for the creation of alternative livelihoods is desperately needed; this is particularly pertinent when one considers that youth disillusionment was a key factor in driving Sierra Leone's recent ten year civil war (1991-2001). In Mali the adult literacy rate stands at 23%, the lowest in the world, while electricity only reaches 2% of the rural population. Life expectancy is extremely low and infant mortality is current at 196 deaths per 1,000 births (in Singapore the figure stands at 2 deaths per 1,000 births). The reality being that most people die from easily preventable diseases due to lack of health care facilities. In Benin, like Sierra Leone and Mali, the adult literacy rate is low, while life expectancy is only 56 years. There only 4 doctors per 100,000 people, a dramatically low figure particularly when compared to Iceland were there are 362 doctors per 100,000 people. Half of the urban population does not have access to electricity, while in rural areas grid networks only reach 6% of the population. EFO's targeting of the key areas of Education, Health, Livelihoods and Skills Training, is designed to target all of the above areas; to improve in-country conditions and to offer more opportunities in the three countries.

Required Resources

The main resources required are capital for solar power installation equipment and human input. Prize money from African Rural Connect can help provide the former. The idea behind EFO is not just to have an organization active for short project cycles, but rather to establish a long-term presence in its target countries, gradually spreading its work to other countries in the West African region. To fund EFO's work a diverse funding strategy is being adopted. As a non-profit organization EFO will seek funds from traditional sources (individual and corporate donations, bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations etc.) as well as less traditional. One area is for-profit work in urban centers in the target countries, with all of this for-profit work contributing towards EFO's goal of making a solar revolution; i.e. the profits from this work will be directed to projects in rural areas. There is a ready market for solar installation in urban centers across Africa, with many businesses and households having to rely on intermittent grid supplies and/or individual generators which are costly and environmental hazardous. Members of EFO have already been active in installing solar power systems in the offices of international organizations and business in the target countries and using the profits to finance projects in rural areas. To create a solar-power revolution across West Africa, solar use needs to be mainstreamed in both rural and urban areas; EFO's strategy is to create a mutually beneficial program where profits from urban solar installations, help facilitate the expansion in to rural areas. This not only helps to facilitate the spread of solar, but also enhances the economic sustainability of EFO.

Plan and Execution

The Energy For Opportunity team already has vast experience with Solar installation projects in the West Africa Region. The project will be implemented with local partner organizations in the three target countries. Each of these three partners has over 15 years of experience implementing development projects with a wide range of international bodies. The local partners will provide local infrastructure (office space, vehicles) and local logistical support, while EFO will provide skills expertise and broader logistical support. Such partnerships are designed to minimize the operating overheads of EFO (office rent, vehicles, expatriate staff salaries etc.) and allowing more funds to be directed towards necessary projects. During the partnerships there will be an emphasis on increasing local technical capacity. This strategy is derived from EFO's belief that any international organization working in a development setting should be striving to make their services redundant; the involvement of local partners is one key step in this process. The projects with local partners will be focused in four key areas:

1. Education: Power Systems for Secondary Schools

This will involve the installation of solar powered computer labs in rural secondary schools across the three target countries. These labs will have access to the internet, through mobile telecommunication provided by companies that have already invested in the necessary in-country infrastructure. This will offer students a greater incentive to stay in school and a greater variety of learning resources.

2. Health: Electricity for Rural Health Clinics

This will involve the installation of solar power in rural health clinics across the three target countries. Each health clinic will be provide with a vaccine fridge, lighting and power for basic medical equipment allowing for enhanced medical treatment of rural populations.

3. Development and Livelihoods: Community Charging Stations

This will involve the installation of solar power in rural community centers in the three target countries. These communities will then be able to offer a service to community for the recharging of basic electrical items (i.e. lanterns, radios etc...), while also being able to generate funds for community projects.

4. Skills Training: University Based Solar Electricity Courses

This will involve the creating of solar training courses in universities across the three target countries. This will ensure the fundamental skills of solar installation are properly invested in the three countries. The students in these courses will also be able to be involved in the above three program area installations, to ensure that they have hands on experience.

Real World Impact

This project adopts a multi-faceted approach to promoting social-economic opportunities within the target countries. From a broad perspective, modern forms of energy are important precursor to ensure that local businesses can prosper and economies are able to develop, while each program area works to help facilitate different needs for a more prosperous environment. The Skills Training facilitates the growth of expertise locally, paving the way for future in-country solar entrepreneurship. Community charging stations in rural areas will help to diversify livelihood opportunities, while the charging stations themselves will provide funds for the communities. The focus on schools is in recognition that a proper education is a strong foundation for creating economic and social opportunities in the target countries. Furthermore the provision of internet in these schools will not only offer the students a wealth of new educational materials, but will also provide links to the wider world for the facilitating potential opportunities at an international level. Finally the focus on health is in recognition that a productive populace needs to be a healthy populace, which has been demonstrated in numerous studies (cf. WHO). Providing necessary infrastructure for health can reduce financial burdens, while increasing individual productivity time. The general focus of all of the above is not to impose paternalistic social and economic solutions in the target countries, but rather to help foster conditions so that prosperity can be realized; to provide the necessary conditions for greater opportunities.

Local solar energy installations are not an 'alternative' source of energy for communities, but rather are the next source. We at EFO have witnessed through previous projects we have been involved in the impact that small-scale solar installations can have across the region. Solar in health clinics can provide power for vaccine fridges and medical equipment, improving health care delivery to rural areas. Solar in schools can provide improved learning facilities through computers, as well as lighting for night-time adult literacy classes. Solar in community centers can reduce financial burdens and the hazards of using other forms of energy, such as kerosene and disposable batteries. While creating solar courses in universities can provide greater opportunities for the youth, creating a foundation for the future use of solar power across the region. We at EFO believe we can help start a solar power revolution across the West African region; improving the livelihoods of communities, households and individuals.

Contact

Paul Munro,
Research and Development Officer,
Energy For Opportunity (EFO)

paul@energyforopportunity.org
www.energyforopportunity.org