Botswana Guardian

Kgatleng district gets P1 million worth solar lift

- Keletso Thobega BG reporter

Private stakeholde­rs in the solar sector have been urged to continue with bolstering the solar industry in Botswana.

Now for Them Trust director and founder, Boitumelo Sarah Mulwa reiterated this when handing over 100 solar powered street lights in the Kgatleng district in the village of Dikwididi last week.

Now for Them Trust also donated a solar libraries project. Both projects are the first of their kind in the Kgatleng district.

Mulwa indicated that the solar project, dubbed the Phillips Sun Stay Street solar lights project, was sponsored by Botswana Signify Phillips and constructe­d by Rays Distributi­on, with the whole project totalling a little over P1 million.

Mulwa said as climate change and global warming become niggling issues, it has become more important than ever to invest in alternativ­e and natural power, and solar is a leading source of power, that could also benefit scores of Batswana, particular­ly those in rural areas and off the grid.

“Access to power empowers community members, particular­ly youth and children who are sometimes disadvanta­ged by lack of power in their homesteads”.

Mulwa said the solar lights, which are estimated to be worth P1 million are their way of making an effort to use alternativ­e energy and ramp up efforts in bolstering the solar industry in Botswana. Now for Trust also donated solar lamps to less privileged schools and students across the Kgatleng region. Mulwa said the hope was that the rollout would continue across Botswana, funds and sponsors permitting.

Earlier this year, the organisati­on partnered with Debswana and donated about 4000 solar lamps to students in rural villages and across the country so that they can be able to do their homework and study even in the dark.

Now For Them Trust is focused on developmen­t strategies which create economic gain for vulnerable communitie­s, specifical­ly youth, children, women and the elderly, and also strives to create inclusive societies and promote resources practices within communitie­s, which are environmen­tally sound and sustainabl­e for future generation­s.

According to solar data global agency Solargin, Botswana has the highest levels of direct solar irradiatio­n, which pits it at an advantage to be a potential solar hub across the southern Africa region.

Government has in recent years bolstered investment­s in the solar industry, with the country’s first Power Purchase Agreements ( PPAs) for independen­t power producers, with Botswana Power Corporatio­n as the chief off taker.

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