This week in our #UnlockingOneMillion campaign we are shining a light on how access to energy enables quality education and training. Our purpose is to transform lives via access to energy – and education is continually recognised as a means to unlock a future that is otherwise not possible.
In this way, we contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 4: ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Through access to energy, our customers have found that their children have had more daylight hours to support their schoolwork, homework and studying. Over 290,000 school-aged children have been positively impacted in this way by our solar home systems (SHS). In addition, at the Kivu International School in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, we have collaborated with General Electric (GE) to power the school of 300 children via a mini-grid. This is significant as UN data has shown that Sub-Saharan Africa faces the biggest challenges for ensuring quality education as a direct result of lacking electricity at school and at home.
Yet, education isn’t for children alone. Adults benefit too as the light powered by their SHS can be used to study and work in the evenings. Our customer, Jean de la Croix Muhire, from Ntarama sector, Bugesera district in Rwanda, was studying Mathematics and Computer Science and teaching Mathematics and Science part-time at Nyirarukobwa, a local primary school, to earn some money. He says that before he and his grandpa purchased a SHS they lived “in a life of darkness”.
“You cannot do anything at night because of the darkness. You cannot study or develop your business. I used a candle to study and when I didn’t have money to buy one, I couldn’t study and failed my tests at school. My school performance was very poor. However, when we got Bboxx my grades improved a lot.
“We bought a TV that helps to educate us through watching the news and other programs. It also entertains us and helps to relieve stress. We also have a chicken rearing business that is growing. Our lives have improved a lot since we received light from Bboxx.”
We are also applying this same vigour to educational opportunities for our employees. Within our business, we are ensuring quality training for our employees across all our operating countries, which for many is the first time they’ve had formal employment. Underpinning this is the work we do at the Bboxx Academy in Kigali, Rwanda. Our Academy exists to support in developing skills and competencies needed for our employees to deliver their work to the best of their ability.
We have a culture of continuous learning embedded within this. We’re always looking at new ways of improving the opportunities and skills we provide our employees. We are training the sales agents, technicians, retail managers, operation managers, change managers, shop managers and leaders of tomorrow. We are always striving to provide a better and more trusted service for our customers.
We spoke to Immaculée Mfurakazi, a Shop Manager and former Sales Agent in Ngoma district, Rwanda who commented on her experience at the Bboxx Academy: "I participated in the Bboxx Academy’s sales program and it truly enhanced my entrepreneurial skill set. The Academy taught me how to efficiently plan my workflow and utilize up-selling or cross-selling techniques.
“On top of that, I was given an opportunity to strengthen my skills in customer services, which helped me to present our products with greater confidence. As a result, the number of my sales significantly increased and my commission as well. I also learnt how to manage my personal finance."
We are proud of what we, as a global community, have achieved in our first ten years. We are still as passionate and driven towards our purpose of unlocking potential and transforming lives via access to energy. And energy access does not stop at electricity alone – but rather what electricity can enable and empower.