Solektra Solar Academy in Bamako, Mali has provided its first training to 19 young people from eight different African countries. The training was in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States’ Renewable Energy Association (APER-CEDEAO).
The students in Solektra’s first round of training came from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Republic of Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. They received both theoretical and practical training about solar technologies.
This first session is the result of a strong partnership between Solektra International and the ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) led by Mahamah Kappiah.
Under the supervision of a strong pedagogical team, composed of eight experts in renewable energy, the participants were given the opportunity to better understand the potential of solar energy in Africa and especially in the ECOWAS zone, while learning more about specific technical issues such as the design of photovoltaic systems, the challenges of decentralized electrification and best ways to optimize solar water-pumping systems.
The session was also marked by another significant event, the general assembly of the APER-CEDEAO, which appointed Samba Bathily, co-founder and CEO of Solektra International and the Solektra Solar Academy, as Honorary President. The appointment of Bathily is a way to thank him for his support to the association and his personal commitment to the development of the solar industry and the empowerment of Africans.