Akon, Accomplishing More For Africa Than Most Have In Years

Photo from YouTube
Photo from YouTube

Platinum-certified star and five-time Grammy award nominee Akon, for just a single year, has done so much more for Africa than most charities have for decades – providing electricity for 600 households in the continent and in the process, being able to light up the land through affordable renewable energy with the power of the sun.

Through the help of his partners, Senegalese political activist Thione Niang and Malian entrepreneur Samba Bathily – who happens to also be CEO of the solar energy company Solektra International, Akon was able to help African communities and combat the challenges that most Africans face in trying to secure energy for their respective homes.

In case you are not aware, obtaining electricity in Africa isn’t as easy as you’d think it might be. Every year, 3.5 million Africans die each year from inhaling toxic fuels and house fires that ensue while Africans try to light up their houses.

Thanks to Akon, solar energy provides Africa with a better and safer alternative, and because of Akon’s belief that this system would be better off if it was run by fully-trained African professionals, he was also able to create jobs there as well.

According to Akon’s charity, Akon Lighting Africa, a wide range of quality solar solutions are now installed in 14 African countries. And, for the first time ever, a number of households, villages, communities, schools, and health centers that are located in rural areas are all now connected to electricity – all thanks to Akon’s desire to make a difference.

“One thing I’ve realized about Africa is that only the organizations that involve Africans themselves are successful,” Akon said in an interview.

“A lot of corporations that come with their own policies and try and implement them in Africa fail horribly. The advantage we had is that all three founders are African, so we were able to navigate through each country a lot faster.”

What do you think of Akon’s contributions to Africa? Let us know in the comments below and share this news.


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