26 July 2024
448 households now have electricity for the first time!
Thanks to EDP's "Access to Energy Program", over 2,200 people in 448 households have lights in their homes, can charge their mobile phones and listen to the radio.
The small "solar home systems" consist of a solar panel, an electronic control unit with a built-in battery and USB port for charging mobile phones and three lamps. The product bundle also includes a radio.
Now the children and young people can read and study for school even after sunset (around 6 p.m. all year round).
In Rwanda, many households have a simple mobile phone, but have to walk a long way to charge it at a shop with a charging service for a fee. These walks are no longer necessary.
The radio provides access to what is happening around the country and the world - or is simply used to listen to music.
Sustainable Villages Foundation provides a subsidy for the purchase of the systems. The amount of the subsidy depends on the income bracket of the respective household. The remainder of the purchase price is paid directly by the households via a microloan from the manufacturer of the systems, consisting of a down payment and twelve monthly instalments.
The aim of Sustainable Villages Foundation is to support the achievement of a 100% electrification rate in the project area by 2024. The current program is supported by the "Access to Energy" program of the Portuguese energy company EDP.