Electricity Access in Sub-Saharan Africa

600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa live without permanent access to electricity. That's more people than the entire population of the EU. Inadequate infrastructure and insufficient power grids – the more rural the region, the more severe the problem of energy poverty.

For villagers, the only solution often lies in so-called off-grid products. Off-grid means disconnected from the main grid, i.e., standalone solutions. These can be small (e.g., a single solar panel) or large, like the Solartainer from Africa GreenTec.

These off-grid solutions make it possible to provide entire village communities with their first access to electricity. There's also another enormous advantage: the electricity is generated from solar energy, making it significantly more sustainable and cheaper than diesel generators.

Sources: Boell Foundation, 2017, World Bank, 2017

Impact of Energy Poverty

Not having regular access to electricity significantly impacts the quality of life and development of these families. Without electricity, families struggle with daily tasks such as cooking, lighting, and communication. Similarly, there is no possibility of using electrical appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, or computers.

The education and health of family members are also affected, as schools and clinics often lack access to electricity. Families are forced to use expensive and unsafe energy sources such as kerosene or wood fires, which are harmful to both the environment and the health of family members.

The lack of electricity also hinders families' ability to expand their businesses and agricultural activities. It also prevents the use of technological advancements that could improve the quality of life and economic development of families.

It is therefore important that measures are taken to facilitate access to electricity for people in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa to improve the quality of life and development of families. And that is precisely why we founded SOCHILI.

This is how SOCHILI provides access to electricity

With a clear vision and excellent collaboration with our partners, we have launched an impact program called SOCHILI GOOD PLAN.

One of these partners is Africa GreenTec, which electrifies entire villages in Sub-Saharan Africa with their (as described above) off-grid solutions.

However, just because a village gains access to electricity for the first time, unfortunately, doesn't mean that everyone can afford a connection. And this is exactly where the SOCHILI GOOD PLAN comes into play!

We are starting in the Senegalese village of Ndiob. We work closely with the village collective there, which helps us to tell farmers about our impact plan and assist them with their applications. After we have sold 365 chili sauces – for 12 months of free electricity in their home.

The leverage here is enormous: with every chili sauce sold, SOCHILI provides a day of electricity – but not just for an individual, but for an entire household! In Ndiob, this averages 8 people per household.

For the people of Ndiob, electricity is the seed for further growth and significantly supports them in building a self-determined life.