19 youths from eight West African countries have successfully undergone theoretical and practical training about solar technologies and its deployment.
The training session which was organised by the Solektra Solar Academy in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States’ Renewable Energy Association (APER-CEDEAO), took place in Bamako, Mali at the end of January 2016.
The 19 young participants, selected from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Republic of Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo benefitted from this first session of the traininng as a result of a strong partnership between Solektra International and the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) led by Mr. Mahamah Kappiah.
Under the supervision of a strong pedagogical team, comprising 8 experts in renewable energy, the participants were given the opportunity to better understand the potential of solar energy in Africa and especially in the ECOWAS zone, while learning more about specific technical issues such as the design of photovoltaic systems, the challenges of decentralized electrification and best ways to optimize solar water-pumping systems.
“With this training, opened to young people from the APER-CEDEAO, we celebrate the official start of the Solektra Solar Academy, which aims to train a new generation of technicians and engineers specializing in renewable energy and able to support the development of the solar industry in Africa,” explained Solektra Solar Academy’s Director Patrice Dangang.
“The Academy is able to propose quality courses meeting international standards, thus creating job opportunities for young people,” he added.
The training session brought together an international group of trainees and reflects the Solektra Solar Academy’s pan African vision for the development of the continent.
“We had access to very good trainings, but on top of that, we had the possibility to share our experiences, to meet people from other countries and even initiate discussions about potential joint projects that we could implement together in the future,” stated Sidy Bouya Ndiaye, an electrical engineer from Senegal.
The session was also marked by another significant event, the general assembly of the APER-CEDEAO, which appointed Mr. Samba Bathily, cofounder and CEO of Solektra International and the Solektra Solar Academy, as Honorary President. The appointment of Mr. Samba Bathily was in appreciation of his support to the association and his personal commitment to the development of the solar industry and the empowerment of Africans.
Founded by Samba Bathily, Akon and Thione Niang, Solektra International is a new generation African business that is investing in driving growth and employment throughout Africa by focusing on the use of solar power to provide access to clean water and electricity.
Solektra International currently has a presence in 15 countries – Mali, Senegal, Niger, Benin, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Burkina-Faso, the Republic of Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville, Nigeria, Madagascar, Namibia and Kenya.
The Solektra Solar Academy, launched in December 2015 in Bamako, Mali, is an initiative by Solektra International to develop a solar energy work force for Africa. The Solektra Solar Academy aims to build capabilities to support inclusive growth throughout the continent.
