The Odeibea Foundation has installed solar-powered streetlights in Akpato and Worwonyo, two communities in the South Dayi District of Ghana's Volta Region. The communities are off-grid, meaning they are not connected to Ghana's national electricity grid. As a result, residents previously had to navigate darkness once the sun went down. The installation of solar-powered streetlights aims to bring clean, reliable, and affordable lighting to these underserved communities.
The solar-powered streetlights were mounted along main routes, at community gathering points, and near individual households to provide the widest possible coverage after dark. This is part of the Foundation's Energy Equity Project, an initiative aimed at bringing lighting to off-grid and underserved communities across Ghana. The project seeks to address the limitations imposed by the absence of street lighting, which had curtailed evening trade, limited safe movement, and left children with poorly lit spaces to study.
The installation of solar-powered streetlights is expected to have a positive impact on the daily lives of residents in Akpato and Worwonyo. Traders will be able to extend their working hours into the evening, while residents will be able to move about with greater safety. Children will also have better conditions to study at night, which is expected to improve their educational outcomes. The project builds on an earlier solar streetlight pilot carried out in Twumwaase and Apeboaso in the Ashanti Region.
In addition to installing solar-powered streetlights, the Odeibea Foundation also rolled out its Crafting Change Project in both communities. The project provided women and girls with hands-on training in bead making, liquid soap production, and pastry making. The Foundation's Executive Director, Patricia Odeibea Bekoe Jakalia, emphasized that empowering women and girls is a central part of building resilient communities and opening more inclusive pathways for local development.
The Foundation has also been working with local leaders and young people in Akpato and Worwonyo to build basic maintenance skills. This will enable residents to look after the solar infrastructure and sustain its benefits over time. By building local capacity, the Foundation aims to ensure that the project has a lasting impact on the communities.
The Odeibea Foundation's Energy Equity Project is an ongoing effort to close gaps left by the slow pace of national grid expansion in rural Ghana. The project seeks to provide clean, reliable, and affordable lighting to off-grid and underserved communities across the country. While the Foundation has not specified a timeline for further rollouts, the project is expected to continue on a community-by-community basis.
The installation of solar-powered streetlights in Akpato and Worwonyo has brought new life to these two Volta Region communities. The project has improved safety, extended economic opportunities, and enhanced educational outcomes for residents. As the Foundation continues to roll out its Energy Equity Project, more communities are expected to benefit from this initiative.
Key points
- The Odeibea Foundation installed solar-powered streetlights in Akpato and Worwonyo to provide clean, reliable, and affordable lighting to these off-grid communities.
- The project also included training for women and girls in income-generating skills, such as bead making, liquid soap production, and pastry making.
- The Foundation's Energy Equity Project aims to bring lighting to off-grid and underserved communities across Ghana, with a focus on building local capacity and sustaining benefits over time.
