Powering Africa out of poverty

Did you know that 1.3 billion people in the world have no electricity? That’s the same as the entire population of the EU (500 million) twice over and the US (300 million) combined.

While wind energy in Europe is providing energy solutions on a large scale, in some of the world’s poorest zones the opposite is true – small, local wind energy micro-businesses can provide a vital source of affordable electricity for lighting, water pumping, access to information, agriculture and refrigeration of food and medicines

We at international charity Renewable World are working on setting up small scale renewable energy micro-businesses to change the fortunes of some of the world’s poorest communities.

In the Tanzanian village of Songambele, Renewable World has installed a wind-solar hybrid project in which a 1kW wind turbine is helping to power an Information Centre housing books, mobile phone charging points and internet access.

It also powers irrigation, so that children in the village can spend less time working in fields, and more time at the Centre, working on their education and increasing their chances to work their way out of poverty.

Wind energy in the Tanzanian village of Songambele.

The Centre is used by 250 farmers who must face the realities of climate change and is a place where they can learn new farming techniques, see weather predictions and market conditions to get a better price for their produce.

We have teamed up with EWEA and GWEC to promote this project and ask for your donation as part of Global Wind Day – a day to celebrate wind energy the world over taking place on 15 June.

Your money will help Renewable World to provide people in Songambele and across East Africa through similar projects with clean water, better healthcare, up-to-the-minute information to help increase their income, and the capacity to improve education for young people and adults.

Find out more about Renewable World’s Global Wind Day action here: www.renewable-world.org/GlobalWindDay

By Fran Witt Renewable World, http://www.ewea.org/blog/