SEC’s Ready Boards boost rural folk
SITEKI – Do not be surprised to see a stick and mud house with electricity in the country.
This is through the distribution of the Ready Boards Project that are currently being installed in communities that cannot afford to electrify their homes.
A Ready Board is a small gadget used to distribute power in a small building of two rooms or less. Since no wiring is needed, extension cables are used to supply power from the gadget to places where power is needed. When using a Ready Board, one does not need to electrically wire their property.
Protection
It is a pre-wired sustainable distribution method for basic electrical supply, which only requires earthing for protection.
The target beneficiaries of the boards are those who lack funds to install house wiring.
Government has set aside E2 million towards the installation of the Ready Boards.
Inside the house, the Ready Board is installed for use of household needs like lighting and phone charging, to mention a few. During the launch of the Ready Boards Project at Khombaso community inVuvulane on Friday, Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Jabulani Mabuza described the project as one of the key milestones in addressing rural electrification.
Benefit
About 90 households from Khombaso will benefit from the project.
Other communities to benefit under Vuvulane Umphakatsi are Mgidzangcunu and 19 squatter camps.
Sicelo ‘Majozi’ Sifundza was the first beneficiary of this project at Khombaso.
The minister stated that the community was one of the many that received financial support from the Rural Electrification Access Fund, as many households lacked the required installation of house wiring.
Mabuza said His Majesty King Mswati III highlighted that developing a model for the installation of distribution Ready Boards, for households lacking funds to install the required house wiring, was fundamental in rural areas.
Procured
He mentioned that about 250 Ready Boards had been procured for installation in houses in the Shiselweni Region, under the network re-enforcement and access project, supported by the World Bank.
Adding, the minister shared that this project would empower unemployed youth with electrical skills through opportunities to install the Ready Boards.
“The E2 million will fund the project in three regions, namely; Manzini, Lubombo and Hhohho as part of the initiative towards addressing electrification requirements in communities countrywide,” he said.
Vuvulane Bucopho Nhlanhla Shabangu thanked government for introducing this great initiative in improving the livelihoods of the less privileged people in communities.
Important
Shabangu said the project was important in addressing the plight of poverty in some households lacking the funds to install electricity.
“Government is doing a tremendous job in improving the lives of people, especially those who cannot afford to install house wiring in rural areas. We are so delighted that this project will also fight criminal elements as the households will now have lights during the nights and robbers will be scared to attack them,” he said.
In his appreciation remarks, Sifundza thanked government for looking after the welfare of the poor in rural areas.
“I am unemployed and this project has been a great thing to happen to my family as we will be able to use the electricity to improve our lives.
“I am grateful that I was the first beneficiary and hope more households will also benefit,” he said.