Many Ugandans Going Solar
In this electricity-starved rural part of Uganda, men ride bicycles several miles to the nearest market town simply to charge their phones.
That should change with the construction nearby of one of the largest solar plants in sub-Saharan Africa, where two-thirds of the population is without electricity and countries increasingly explore alternative sources of power.
Frustrated by the slow pace of rural electrification in this East African country of 36 million people, many Ugandans have been investing in their own solar panels to light their homes at night and keep small businesses running. But even the cheapest solar units can cost at least $100, a challenge when Uganda’s per capita income is $703, according to U.N. figures.
Steve Rainwater