At least 50 households in Mpale village, Korogwe District in Tanzania are now connected to solar micro-grid. This was during a project launched between the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in collaboration with Ensol Tanzania Ltd.
Dr Juliana Pallangyo, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Minerals, during the launch of the project, said connection of power to the area will improve social lives and boost economic activities.
“I would like to thank UNCDF and Ensol for their efforts in promoting access to electricity. Particularly renewable energy to improve local economic development and livelihoods,” she said. Ensol has thus far connected 50 households in Mpale Village to the solar micro-grid.
Expansion Plans
However, plans are underway to expand the project by connecting a total of 250 households by June 2018. She asked the community members to proper utilize the opportunity by engaging in various economic activities.
“I would like to ask Mpale villagers and all other people in this district to use power for income generating activities and not for lighting only,” she said.
Mpale village is in the remote and mountainous Mpale Ward in Korogwe District, Tanga Region. The village has a population of more than 3,000 inhabitants and 730 households.
Since its establishment in 1972, the village has never had electricity. Most of the people in the village have been relying on unsafe and unclean kerosene as a lighting source. Dr Pallangyo said that the health center in Mpale Village is now connected to the solar micro-grid.
Therefore, she requested the district officials to always make a good follow up to ensure health services are provided to wananchi as required. The Mpale project manager, Mr Prosper Magali said the partnership with UNCDF has been key in the solar micro-grid project.
