A Rwandan man uses his self-taught electrical engineering skills to bring power to his whole village. More than a third of all households in Rwanda don’t have electricity. Fed up with living in darkness, Israel Habimana decided to do something about it. He studied the design of hydroelectric power plants in nearby towns and taught himself everything he needed to know to build one and bring power to his village in the Kirehe District.
After his first design fried some of the electronics in the homes he was supplying energy to, he refined his plant with help from the government-owned Rwanda energy group. Now Habimana’s plant employs more than a dozen people and provides electricity to over 10 homes.
Although Habimana’s business hasn’t reaped the financial rewards of his hard work yet, bringing power to his village is already transforming the lives of local residents. Schoolchildren don’t have to rush to get their homework done before it gets dark anymore and is advancing in their studies more than ever before. It’s also helped local businesses to increase their output and bring more money into their community. Habimana is currently working to expand his operation and hopes to provide power to hundreds more families in the area.
Source: Inside Edition