LET THERE BE LIGHT - Brussels Airlines inflight magazine

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Belgian-owned, Togo-based company Solergie provides electricity to African villages with its SolergieBox. Across the world, having access to electricity and power is taken as a given. Yet, it’s still a luxury for many, with some 1.6 billion people still currently going without. It’s why Belgian entrepreneur Bert Bernolet set up the social profit company, Solergie.

Based in Togo, the company is responsible for the distribution and assembly of its main product SolergieBox in villages without electricity across the country. SolergieBoxes create a solar network providing fixed, 220v electricity to families and small businesses in rural areas for a low cost, paid for using SMS messaging. The company also employs 20 local people, who expand the smart energy network.

“We want to stimulate the development of rural villages by providing them with sustainable energy and support the start-up of local income-generating activities,” says Bernolet. “With SolergieBoxes, people can light their houses and plug in electrical devices for their business activities, helping them to earn more money to pay school fees, health care and so on. We hope this model will work to help over 200,000 people within the next five years.”

For further information, visit energykiosks.be. To find out more about how Brussels Airlines supports humanitarian projects in Africa, visit brusselsairlines.com/bfoundation