ASELF Mission Statement
Mission
ASELF (African Solar Electric Light Foundation) plans and executes sun powered undertakings for hindered networks far and wide to propel their degrees of medical services, training, water and food security, and monetary turn of events.
History
African Solar Electric Light Foundation (ASELF ) designed its Whole Village electrification program. Because an agricultural component was determined to be the critical initial step, the project’s pilot phase involved installing solar drip-irrigation systems—The Solar Market Garden (SMG)—for each of three women’s cooperatives in two pilot villages. The SMG merges solar-powered water pumping with a drip-irrigation model which is designed to yield produce for sale as well as consumption.
This success will provide the basis for extending electricity throughout the pilot villages, which is the objective of this project. This work involves installing systems to power each villages with water supply, school, health center, micro-enterprise and Internet centers, street and market lighting, and household solar LED lighting.
Three wells for drinking water have been successfully drilled (only one may require minor purification treatment). Finishing the water delivery system (piping, tower locations, and spigot locations) is the next Priority, followed this winter by solar electrifying the villages’ clinics and schools. The micro-enterprise centers and the balance of the work is planned for 2021.
The long-term goal is to Provide a development model for much of West Africa, where conditions are similar to those in northern Benin. Additionally, the model can be adapted for use throughout the developing world.
Goal
Power vital operations of two villages and cultivate farming opportunities via PV-powered water management systems.
“The Great Energy Challenge is a terrific National Geographic Society program that not only helps to inform and educate people about the importance of energy and how to use it wisely, but also opens minds to new solutions—such as ASELF’s models for solar rural electrification—that can change people’s lives. Since the United Nations has declared 2012 the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, this program will play a key role in advancing universal access to energy. ASELF is honored to partner with the UN and the GS tos om bey. distributed solar power fights energy poverty.” —James Tataw, CEO | Founder, African Solar Electric Light Foundation.
The Great Energy Challenge grant program, in collaboration with a distinguished group of scientists acting as the board of advisor, awards roughly a half-dozen grants per year. The goal of the grant program is to hasten the growth of promising, global energy solutions as a response to climate change, energy resource constraints and environmental limitations.
