ELECTRIFICATION OF A SOCIO-ECONOMIC HUB

Led by the NGO Electriciens sans Frontières (Electricians without Borders- ESF), as part of an initiative launched in 2014 by the French association Les Ballons Rouge, the project aimed to equip the socio-economic hub in the Zam commune with solar electricity. The hub included a moringa farm (a plant with exceptional nutritional, economic and medicinal benefits), a literacy and computer centre, two boreholes, a library and a small convenience store. Some of the revenues from the sale of moringa by-products were to cover the future maintenance costs of the solar installations.

The project was delayed and extended by twelve months in order to address a request from the local team. The moringa leaves needed to be stored in refrigerators meaning that the electrical infrastructure had to be adapted to the new needs. This was done at no additional cost to the Foundation. The library was equipped with solar electricity by December 2017, and in early January 2018 the rest of the hub was equipped with solar lighting. Thanks to the new facilities, the moringa farm was able to process high quality moringa powder (500kg/year) generating an income of 440 euros/month. The farm employed five full time employees and three further women were employed to pick the leaves when needed.

Electriciens sans Frontières is a French NGO founded in 1986. It leads and implements projects that enable the poorest and most isolated rural communities to access electricity and clean water in order to sustainably improve their living conditions.

News