The Africa Energy Awards celebrate performers that contribute towards the development and success of energy projects across the continent. And I am delighted to announce that Project 90 has won the ‘Most Inventive Rural Electrification Project Award’ for our work in the rural community of Msobomvu.
Through our Community Partnership Programme, Project 90 began working with the Msobomvu community last year. The name Msobomvu has a beautiful meaning: “the red of the rising dawn”. It is a small but vibrant, rural village of around 250 households, just outside of East London. The village is close-knit and has actively worked together to secure services (such as mobile clinic visits and school transportation) for residents, but has not had access to reliable energy and water supplies.
As part of the energy solution ‘basket’, the community received energy efficient cook stoves and Wonderbags as well as Light Boxes. These are innovative solar home lighting kits which were assembled and installed by volunteer residents into 240 homes in Msobomvu. Read more.
The following features of the lightbox make it a unique, innovative and attractive design:
- The entire system is portable. Even if lights are fixed, the PV panel remains portable;
- The units are easily assembled;
- The units can be self-installed with little training;
- The PV panel can be tilted and moved for best sun exposure available;
- Components are easily unplugged from the rest of the system to be moved and stored as needed; and,
- The unit includes a 12V mobile phone charger, saving the residents up to 5km of walking, and R5 per recharge of their phones.
We focus on building partnerships with the communities that we work with and aim to address challenges beyond energy, such as water and food security. We also work to strengthen community engagement structures, social enterprise and provide skills training.
Watch this space for more project updates!
Project 90 by 2030 
Well done! What great recognition of a brilliant project.