Gender Equality Lesotho Project #13589

Solar Jobs & Energy - Village Minigrids in Lesotho

by STG International

Project Report | Jun 30, 2024
Minigrid power for Department of Agriculture

By Matt Orosz | CEO

Lights go on!

Hello to everyone at this halfway point of the year!

In Lesotho we are continuing with construction day-by-day, excited for every new customer that comes online. Today I would like to highlight one of those new customers that brings an outsized impact to the surrounding community.

In the larger community of Mashai-Sehonghong (two separate communities that 1PWR is serving by a single connected minigrid), the 1PWR team has been busy stringing wires, continuing construction of supporting buildings, and installing meters and connections to individual customer buildings.

One of these new customers is facility belonging to the Department of Agriculture and Food Security, including operational buildings as well as houses for their on-site staff. This facility is a cornerstone supporting local farmers and community in many ways, and 1PWR is extremely proud to be able to support their mission by making day-to-day operations easier through provision of electricity.

We are also looking forward to leveraging this minigrid to support local businesses in addition to working to seed a local energy-efficient business via a 1PWR-supported "productive use of electricity" work stream (i.e., thinking about connecting the dots to enable people to get the best benefit from the new access to electricity).

Though it is extremely cold - and snowing! - up in the Highlands of Lesotho, day-by-day we are pushing forward with the minigrids and seeing them come into existence. Excited to share more with you as here in Lesotho winter thaws into spring in a few months!

Thank you again for your continued support and interest in everything we do - we couldn't do it without the collective good will and excitement about the work.

Best,

Matt

1PWR team stringing wires to customers

Pre-fab building for construction & future shop

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Feb 27, 2024
Power for Civil Society Institutions

By Matthew Orosz | CEO

Hauling Poles to Sehonghong

Exciting developments are unfolding at OnePower, where our mission to illuminate lives takes a significant stride forward. We're thrilled to announce our latest minigrid extension: integration of the Sehonghong police station into our transformative energy network through a new step down transformer subnetwork. This milestone is part of our broader vision to power essential civil society institutions, enhancing the fabric of the communities we serve.

The journey to this expansion was marked by meticulous planning and collaboration. Recognizing the critical role of the Sehonghong police station in ensuring community safety, our team was driven by the belief that access to reliable energy is not just an improvement but a fundamental need. The electrification of this police station compliments other pillar of society institutions in our minigrid portfolio: the Ketane police station, the Lebakeng community council building, and seven health centers across the highlands of Lesotho. This initiative goes beyond lighting up buildings; it empowers these institutions to operate more efficiently and effectively, providing indispensable services to the community. The connection of the Sehonghong police station to our network exemplifies our dedication to supporting those who protect, govern, and care for our communities.

Your support has been instrumental in turning this vision into reality and ignites the potential for greater safety, governance, and health care in underserved communities. As we celebrate this milestone, we're reminded of the power of collective action and the difference we can make together.

We invite you to continue this journey with us, lighting the way for more communities and creating a brighter, more sustainable future for all. Your generosity fuels our progress and inspires our work every day.

Thank you for your unwavering support and belief in our mission.

With deepest gratitude,

Matt

Connecting MV Lines

Connecting the SHG Police Station

Sun setting on a hard days work in SHG

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Oct 29, 2023
Lights on in Tlhanyaku & Matsoaing

By Matt Orosz | CEO 1PWR

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