Akon lighting up Africa with Solar Power Initiative

Published by Kunbi Tinuoye at June 8, 2015

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R&B singer Akon has launched an ambitious project to provide millions of Africans with electricity through a groundbreaking solar power initiative.

Speaking at the United Nations in late May, the Senegalese-American hip-hop star announced his new Solar Academy to train engineers, technicians and entrepreneurs.

The academy, scheduled to open in the Mali capital of Bamako over the summer, will train locals to install and maintain solar-powered equipment. Experts will be on hand to help, according to reports.

Akon Lighting Africa workers have been installing solar-powered street lights and residential systems across at countries in Africa

“I’ve kind of seen what it felt like to live in poverty and understand what it is to be in a position without light and go days without eating,” said Akon. “I felt it. I understood it. And it made me cherish life even more. It put me in a position to be a lot more humble as a celebrity.”

In what must be one of the most inspiring stories out of Africa this year, the pioneering humanitarian effort does more than provide electricity. It’s creating training, skills and ultimately, steady jobs for thousands of Africans to enhance their local communities using sustainable energy.

The Solar Academy’s under the umbrella of the singer’s Akon Lighting Africa (ALA) initiative, launched in 2014 to bring solar power to Africans who currently live off the grid.

Akon’s ALA initiative, in partnership with Give1Project and ADS Global Corporation SA, has already provided solar power to more than 1 million households. ALA has installed solar-powered streetlights in more than 11 countries on the continent.

“We have the sun and innovative technologies to bring electricity to homes and communities. We now need to consolidate African expertise,” said Samba Baithily, who founded Akon Lighting Africa with Akon and Thione Niang.

R&B singer Akon has launched an initiative to provide 600 million African people with electricity using solar power

The initiative includes installing solar-powered streetlights and residential solar systems in African villages, as well as solar tailored equipment in households.

There are an estimated 600 million people in Africa who live without electricity. Twenty-five African countries are experiencing an energy crisis, according to the World Bank.

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Kunbi Tinuoye

Kunbi Tinuoye is the founder and CEO of UrbanGeekz. Previously, she worked as a News Correspondent for NBC’s theGrio. Prior, she was a senior broadcast journalist for the BBC in London. Tinuoye currently sits on the SXSW Pitch Advisory Board and CES Conference Advisory Board. She is a key player in the Atlanta tech startup ecosystem and serves as a mentor for Comcast NBCUniversal’s The Farm Accelerator. Tinuoye has received several awards and accolades, including being honored with a Resolution from the Georgia Legislative.