Senegalese women are going to be trained in income-generating activities specifically related to renewable energy as part of the Economic and Social Development of Women through Renewable Energy in the Sahel (DESFERS). The training program aims to alleviate poverty and isolation in rural communities.
The program was launched last week in Ziguinchor, the capital of Senegal’s southernmost province Casamance, where 16 trainers have been equipped with solar energy utilization techniques and project management. The trainers will in turn educate 21 000 women from 71 villages in the Casamance region. The initiative is led by two non-governmental organizations; Plan International and Acra.
“The trainers will be equipped with technical modules in the field of renewable energy and in administrative and financial management, in order to be able to multiply the training to the women targeted by the project,” says Emilia Vavassori, Acra’s in Senegalese representative.
The DESFERS program in Senegal aims to empower women from rural communities and support the government’s electrification goals. Senegal is working towards reaching universal access to electricity by 2025. It currently boasts one of the west African region’s highest rates of access at 66%.
