Multinational recording artist Akon did well in kindling dance floor lights through his music. In recent years, R&B’s Konvict stepped away from stage lights and began a movement to light up Africa—in a very different way.
Through the combined efforts of Akon, Malian entrepreneur Samba Bathily, and political activist Thione Niang, the Akon Lighting Africa movement was launched in 2014, and since then the ALA have managed systems in 11 nations, including Senegal, Mali, Niger, Benin, and Sierra Leone.
With two years of constant work expansion, the company is still currently concentrated on achieving its goal of providing solar power to over 600 million African homesteads lacking access to electricity. Progressively, the ALA also launched the construction of certain “Solar Academies” to solidify a sustained solar-powered energy system through African engineers.
“It’s growing really, really fast” addressed Akon in a Huffington Post interview, “I think we’re gonna make the deadline to be in 48 countries by the year 2020.”
Most recently, Akon attained partnership with a leading industry in China, granting the artist a credit line measuring 1 billion USD. Since then, electricity has now reached a staggering total of 16 million Africans and the ALA is adamant on increasing the number to 80 million in the span of 10 years.
“I always had a passion for Africa because I am Africa and I always felt Africa was being taken advantage of” spoke Akon in an interview with African Vibes. Raised in Kaolack, Senegal, Akon himself grew up in a town deprived of one of life’s most essential necessities. Needless to say, many Africans homes are constantly being lit with the ALA working simultaneously to accomplish 600 million.
In a recent interview with DJ Vlad, Akon expressed his thoughts towards his undermanaged homeland. R&B’s Konvict-turned-philanthropist traveled back onto the lines of musicianship with a sentimental statement, “I always felt that music was always that vehicle in life that God wanted me to become… I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be involved in energy”.
By Jods Arboleda for RAPstation.com
