AND THERE WAS LIGHT : Akon Brings Electricity To 600 Million People in Africa

Aside from being known for his ground-breaking music hits and his profound talent as a music producer, Senegalese-American singer, Akon, has decided to diversify his efforts into charity. The singer announced at the second United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Forum in New York that he has set up an academy named Akon Lighting Africa in 2014 that aims to bring electricity to nearly 600 million people in rural communities across Africa. The institution, scheduled to open in Bamako, Mali, is scheduled to try give engineers  and entrepreneurs the skills to develop solar power. It will also aim at teaching people how to install and maintain solar-powered electricity systems.

Africa has 320 days of sunshine a year, the organization said in a statement, so harnessing solar energy is an ideal way to enable those without electricity to get it. “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 with Thione Niang. This initiative will not only help light up 600 million homes in Africa but will also create sustainable employment opportunities for the youth