Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Bongo Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam or better known as Akon was born in Dakar, Senegal, April 30, 1973. He is a Platinum certified R & B singer and five Grammy nomination. He became famous when singing his songs such as “Locked Up” from his first album Trouble and the song “Right Now (Na Na Na)” from the album Freedom.
He has done far more for Africa than most charities for decades by providing electricity to 600 households and in the process of making affordable renewable energy with solar power. Through the help of its partners namely Senegalese political activist Thione Niang and Mali businessman Samba Bathily who is the CEO of solar energy company Solektra International, Akon is able to help the African community and fight the challenges faced by most Africans in securing energy for their homes.
Akon and the Renewable Solar Energy Project
Many companies come with their own policies and try and implement them in Africa but failed. The advantage that their company has is that the three founders are African so they can navigate through each country faster and make policy more targeted.
You need to know that getting electricity in Africa is not as easy as you might think. Every year, 3.5 million Africans die each year from inhaling toxic fuels and house fires that occur when they try to light up their homes.
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 if run by fully trained African professionals, he was also able to create jobs there. “One thing I realize about Africa is that only organizations that involve Africans themselves are successful,” Akon said in an interview.
Akon Lighting Project in Africa
According to the Akon charity, Akon Lighting Africa, various quality solar solutions are now installed in 14 African countries. And, for the first time, a number of households, villages, communities, schools and health centers located in rural areas are now all connected to electricity, all thanks to Akon’s desire to make a difference.
This initiative addresses the concern that more than two-thirds of the population of sub-Saharan Africa are without electricity, and more than 85 percent of those living in rural areas do not have access. Now, Akon Corp., in partnership with Reach Construction Group, LLC, launches Akon Lighting America and has formed a dynamic group of strategic partners to create replicable, scalable and cost-effective scale energy utility solutions and renewable energy solutions for low-income housing communities.
In January 2019, Akon Lighting America will begin developing utility-scale renewable energy projects throughout the United States and build renewable energy solutions for rural communities and low-income housing communities. This initiative can be done thanks to the support of institutions such as the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and many more.
Brandon Martin, the CEO of this project, said, “I am pleased about the opportunity to work with a business maestro and like-minded individuals like Akon on the goals of sustainability and our impact on global climate change. Hopefully, this is the beginning of our efforts to build a better planet for our children. There are huge opportunities in the United States to reduce carbon emissions and try to achieve goals where the total available generation capacity from renewable energy will overtake from fossil fuels. Akon Lighting America is happy to help with this challenging effort.”
