Sandra Weller

Photographer
   
The green mini-grid strategy in Africa
Stories (2)
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Nationality: German
Biography: I am a freelance documentary photographer, born and based in Germany. I have studied photography in the Netherlands and later lived and worked in Thailand and Indonesia My photos has been published in magazines such as Newsweek, TIME or... MORE
School:
The green mini-grid strategy in Africa by Sandra Weller
Maastricht Institute of Arts
Private Story
The green mini-grid strategy in Africa
Copyright Sandra Weller 2024
Updated Jun 2022
Location The Gambia
Topics Africa, Climate Change, Documentary, Economy, Energy, Environment, Globalization, Journalism, Personal Projects, Photography, Renewable energy, Solar power
Summary

In the first months of 2022, the inhabitants of the small village Nymanarr, in the far eastern part of The Gambia, are getting access to electricity for the first time in their life by the installment of a solar green mini-grid plant. Now the economy is growing in the village.

In the first months of 2022 the inhabitants of the small village Nymanarr, in the far eastern part of The Gambia, are getting access to electricity for the first time in their life. Gambias first solar green mini-grid plant has been installed and transformed the life of the villagers in high speed. In this area temperatures climb up to 40 C, without a fridge and no fan life was harsh. The inhabitants had to cross the border to Senegal each day to buy ice blocks, which was expensive. There was no mobile network, they had to buy sim cards from Senegal to get connection to the outside world. Without electricity there were no jobs in the village, the youth had to leave to find work. Robberies in the dark night had been common. Now everything has changed, now the Senegalese even come here to buy their ice. Mobile companies installed radio towers, new businesses open, old businesses expand and new job opportunities arise. Now they even have access to the internet.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Power Africa worked with the government of Gambia, international experts and the private sector to launch its first solar green mini-grid plant. 2 out of 3 people in Sub-saharan Africa lack access to electricity. Power Africa was launched in 2013 with a goal to bring 60 million clean electricity connections to Africa until 2030. The assigned local company Unique Energy built the solar mini-grid plant, they distribute and sell the power and are responsible for the maintenance, using smart technology. Their solar power is 100 % reliable.
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