In the Solar Learning project in Ethiopia, around 500 young adults were trained in solar technology and micro-entrepreneurship over a period of five years. The graduates will subsequently provide around 40,000 people with improved access to solar energy.
In Ethiopia, only about half of the population has access to electricity. In households not connected to the power grid, paraffin lamps, which are harmful to health and the environment, are often used to produce light. But also in urban centres, power outages are a daily occurrence.
The houses and settlements are spread over long distances in the remote highland regions. An electricity grid expansion into these regions is not foreseeable for financial and logistical reasons. Decentralised solar systems, on the other hand, offer a cost-effective and sustainable alternative. Training for solar technicians adapted to the region is essential so that the decentralised energy supply can be built up sustainably.
The aim was to train around 500 young adults in installing, maintaining and selling photovoltaic systems within five years.
After training, these are intended to create improved access to renewable energy. Access to electricity in turn brings economic upliftment and prospects for the population. Households, schools and health centres benefit from solar power, thereby reducing the use of environmentally harmful alternatives.
In 2017, Solafrica was invited to conduct a preliminary study in Ethiopia for the development of solar vocational training. The preliminary study verified the need for well-trained professionals. That is why we have worked out a training programme for the next five years in cooperation with state vocational schools and the Ethiopian non-profit organisation Education for Sustainable Development and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.
Between 2018 and 2023, 496 young people successfully completed the vocational training. The trained solar technicians have organised themselves into 19 solar companies and sold and installed small solar systems to over 7,000 households. In addition, 15 solar systems were installed in health centres and schools as part of the practical training.
A project evaluation was carried out in summer 2023. The evaluation showed that 382 of the trained solar technicians (77%) are currently working in the solar industry. A follow-up project is now being developed based on the evaluation results.
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