Akon's to do list just got a little longer. Aside from being an award winning producer and RnB singer, he's now hoping to provide electricity to 600 million people in Africa.
The 'Smack That' rapper's initiative, aptly titled 'Akon Lighting Africa' is launching a solar academy that will help African countries harness the power of the sun -- a seemingly foolproof plan given that the continent has 320 days of sunshine a year.
New York, 21 May 2015 As the second United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Forum (SE4A) paid tribute in its closing session to the progress generated by the Akon Lighting Africa initiative, its founders Akon, Thione Niang and Samba Bathily were already looking to the future and next steps. They have just announced the creation of a "Solar Academy" to develop skills and expertise in this field in Africa. This professional training center of excellence is a first on the continent and targets future African entrepreneurs, engineers and technicians. It will open its doors this summer in Bamako, Mali and welcome any Africans wanting to help develop the use of solar power.
"We have the sun and innovative technologies to bring electricity to homes and communities. We now need to consolidate African expertise and that is our objective" explained Samba Bathily at the SE4All. "We are doing more than just investing in clean energy. We are investing in human capital. We can achieve great milestones and accelerate the African transformation process on condition that we start training a new generation of highly qualified African engineers, technicians and entrepreneurs now" he added.
Akon Lighting Africa's 3rd tour in Africa : Senegal (inauguration of villages powered by Akon Lighting Africa, meeting with President Macky Sall), Guinea (inauguration of villages powered by Akon Lighting Africa in the island of Kassa), Niger (opening of a school powered by Akon Lighting Africa, conference with the youth in Niamey, meeting with President Mahamadou Issoufou), Gabon (inauguration, conference with the youth in Libreville), Benin (inauguration, meeting with President Boni Yayi).
New campaign aiming at installing 30 000 additional streetlights facilities in towns and villages in Guinea
Akon Lighting Africa's 6th tour in Africa: Benin (streetlights facility in the town of Grand Popo), Kenya (inauguration of domestic and public electricity facilities in the Maasai village of Olosho-Oibor).
Session panel about Akon Lighting Africa with the co-founders Akon, Thione Niang and Samba Bathily - at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (Marrakech) with the Vice-President of the United States, Joe Biden.
"Thanks to Akon Lighting Africa we have launched in one year a new dynamic and helped raising collective awareness: solutions are available, ready to hand and we can address the electrification challenge QUICKLY!" Akon
"Until now we used USD 240 millions out of one billion dollars that we have at our disposal. We are present in 11 countries and want to expand into an additional 30 countries very soon", Samba Bathily
"Africa needs strategic public-private partnerships to progress. We have one common objective, that is, building a brighter future for our youth", President of Benin Mr. Boni Yayi
