Title of Project “Transformation of Rural Livelihoods in Bukoba District through Provision of Solar Powered Education, Health and other Community Development Services”

Funded by UNDP under the CADESE 1 programme

Project background: Kerosene is the predominant fuel for lighting in both rural areas and urban households (with the exception of Dar es Salaam), accounting for 84 percent of total lighting fuel. This is complimented by biomass (charcoal and firewood) mainly for cooking. For community centers, diesel power generators are the common source of energy for lighting. These fossil fuels (i.e. kerosene and diesel) are not only expensive for rural communities but also environmental pollutants due to CO2 emissions released from their combustions. These fuels are also associated with indoor air pollution and household fire accidents, which are reported to cause acute respiratory diseases, related deaths estimated at 27,500 people (particularly women and children) annually.

The government of Tanzania has been working aggressively to extend grid connectivity to rural communities across the country as a means to bring power for various uses including lighting. However, there are several factors hampering these efforts such that current electrification rate is only 16 percent nationally and6.6% in rural areas where 73% of the population lives. Indeed, many communities have benefited from this effort, but there still remain many who have not been connected to the gridand may not be connected for many years to come. This is particularly due to the fact that extending the grid is an expensive endeavour owing the high costs of grid installations caused large size of the country, scattered nature of rural households and low-income of many households which make it non-attractive for a state owned power utility, however this in turn has resulted in

•          High levels of insecurity because the areas are either not well lit or are not lit at all at night.

•          Education of children going to school is affected due to inability to extend study hours at night.

•          Increased pollution due to the use of other traditional energy sources leading to health complications.

•          Loss of income for micro-business owners due to inability to extend business hours in the evenings – market closures way too early.

•          Increased fatal healthcare situations (due to lack of powered up/running clinics) especially for pregnant women delivering at night.

•          Social development is hindered due to inability to access sports grounds for sporting activities or other community ceremonies in the evenings.

Project Objective

- To improve the social and economic development of people living in off grid areas. This includes:-

a)        Extending study hours for school children in the evenings

b)        Providing security lighting in the night

c)         Enhancing rural healthcare programs – increasing mortality rates

d)        Enabling community productivity in the evenings thus creating a vibrant mini economy

e)        Improving social development by enabling youth sporting activities in the evenings