News New project to strengthen the photovoltaic sector in Central Togo

This year, URBIS FOUNDATION started a new project in Sokodé, Togo. Over the next five years, URBIS will support solar electricians on their way to self-employment as solar electricians. In addition, we will jointly build a solar training centre with a PV demonstration system and construct PV systems for local NGOS and health sector facilities far from the electricity grid.

With the support of Windkraft Simonsfeld AG and Initiative Eine Welt Braunau, we are able to finance a four-month internship, entrepreneurship training and tool kits for around twenty young solar electricians each year. URBIS FOUNDATION has been offering solar courses for electricians for over 10 years. In order to gain practical skills, internships are indispensable, but unfortunately these are often unpaid and therefore difficult for the trainees to carry out. Here, the project will enable the twenty best students of the course to do a four-month internship. In addition, these trainees will receive a one-week training on entrepreneurship, where they will learn the basics of management, market economy and accounting. Upon successful completion of the training, the trainees receive a well-equipped toolbox containing everything they need to get started as a solar electrician. This is particularly valuable as it represents significant start-up capital that the young trainees would not be able to acquire themselves. As our project manager on site, Fousseni Morou, summarises: "As electricians with solar training, the trainees have significantly better career opportunities and are well prepared for the start of their careers thanks to the various training components.”

We are pleased to be able to invest in the future of the solar sector in Togo together with our new partners.