Akon Launches ‘Light to Learn’ in Liberia

International Musical Icon and entrepreneur – Akon, will On October 20and 21, 2016, collaborate with TikkunOlam or T.O and BridgePartnership Schools for Liberia, for the launch of the‘Light to Learn’ initiative here.

Akon will personally light up the communities around two BridgePartnership Schools – the J.W. Pearson Elementary School in Monrovia andZuluyee Public School in the Ganta, Nimba County, usingsolar-generated lighting technology.

‘Light to Learn’ is an initiative highlighting the positive impact ofinvestment in Africa’s sustainable power and education, and theimportance of developing both sectors as they propel Liberia and thecontinent toward a better and brighter future.

While 80% of the world’s population has access to electricity, only30% of the African population enjoys this benefit. Today, almost 600million inhabitants live without electricity, particularly in ruralareas.

In a number of countries, including Liberia, there is virtually no access toelectricity, except by petrol generators. The ‘Light to Learn’ initiative aims to bring clean, affordable andendless energy to bring about beneficial change such as Empowering schools to use technology to support teachers in lessonpreparation and classroom management, making use of digital librarieswith access to hundreds of books at a child’s fingertips possible evenin remote communities thereby, providing light to business owners such as shopkeepers,tradesmen and cooks to work and expand their activities and revenues,making roads safer and improving the structure of public places andhelping guarantee the continuity of healthcare services as doctors areable to examine patients at dark also improving health within homes and communities who will be saved from using pollutant, toxic andcostly domestic fuels such as kerosene.

“Before, our teachers didn’t feel confident teaching; because withoutelectricity and few materials we were unable to prepare for lessons,”said Catherine Jrikan, Vice Principal for Instruction at BridgePartnership School – J.W. Pearson.

“This initiative means that my school has the power it needs to enablefacilitate theuse of modern technology, and has tablets for every teacher, with thematerials needed for lessons and tools for managing class; and adigital library for the children. It has completely changed theireducation for the better,” she said.

“This year, we come to school and stay long because the lessons aregood,” said Patricia Davis – an 18 year old girl in 6th grade at BridgePartnership School Kpakolokoyata. Speaking ahead of the event, Akon –the brain behind the project, commented TO in facilitatingthe needs of millions of people in Africa has always been a dream ofmine. Our main goal is to bring light to Africa through public-privatepartnerships and the ripple effect of this is job creation, safety,commerce and supporting African children in furthering theireducation.”