The Odeibea Foundation has installed solar streetlights in the communities of Akpato and Worwonyo in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region. This project is part of the Foundation's efforts to provide clean, reliable, and affordable lighting to off-grid communities. The solar units were placed along main routes, community gathering points, and near individual households to maximise coverage after dark.
The installation of solar streetlights is expected to transform life in these communities, enabling local traders to extend their working hours into the evening and children to study in better-lit spaces. Residents will also be able to move through public spaces more safely. The project builds on an earlier solar streetlight pilot carried out in Twumwaase and Apeboaso in the Ashanti Region.
The Odeibea Foundation's approach prioritises sustainability, working with local leaders and young people to build basic maintenance skills so that communities can care for the infrastructure themselves. This will help preserve the benefits of the project over time. The Foundation also views energy access and economic opportunity as deeply interconnected.
As part of its intervention, the Foundation extended its Crafting Change Project to include economic empowerment for women and girls in Akpato and Worwonyo. Participants received hands-on training in bead making, liquid soap production, and pastry making, giving them practical, income-generating skills.
Executive Director Patricia Odeibea Bekoe Jakalia stressed the importance of empowering women and girls, stating that it is essential for building resilient communities and creating more inclusive pathways for community development. The Foundation believes that pairing clean energy infrastructure with livelihood training will strengthen household resilience and widen participation in local economic life.
The Energy Equity Project highlights how community-driven, decentralised energy solutions can deliver tangible results in areas where national grid expansion has yet to reach. This project is part of Ghana's broader efforts to address climate and development goals. The Odeibea Foundation's initiative is a step towards achieving these goals.
The installation of solar streetlights in Akpato and Worwonyo is a significant milestone in the Odeibea Foundation's efforts to tackle energy poverty in rural Ghana. The project's impact will be closely monitored, and its success could inform future initiatives aimed at promoting energy equity and economic empowerment in off-grid communities.
Key points
- The Odeibea Foundation's Energy Equity Project aims to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable lighting to off-grid communities across Ghana.
- The project includes training for women and girls in income-generating skills, such as bead making, soap production, and pastry making.
- The initiative prioritises sustainability, building basic maintenance skills in local communities to ensure the long-term benefits of the project.
