NUMBERS 600,000,000

Sengalese-American singer Akon launched 'Akon Lighting Africa' a year ago, an initiative designed to bring electricity to millions of Africans using solar energy.

Thus far, they've installed solar street lamps and domestic solar panels in over a million households in 14 African countries. Last month, the company announced a new phase of its initiative: Akon Lighting Africa is going to be building a "Solar Academy" in Bamako, Mali's capital, in order to teach the skills to build and to maintain solar systems to African engineers. Africa's future may be about to get a lot brighter.

SOURCE: THEROOT.COM