MTN Rwanda and Mobisol have donated solar systems to eight rural schools which do not have access to the national power grid. 

Yvonne Mubiligi, the MTN corporate affairs manager, said the donation is in support of government efforts to provide rural areas with off-grid power solutions.

"Many of the rural schools have no power for lighting, computers, printers, or access to the Internet. Without lighting, the students have limited reading and studying times and cannot learn computer skills. They are also cut off from accessing free learning tools and resources,” Mubiligi said.

She said the customised 600Wp solar school systems come with all necessary components, including wiring, efficient and bright LED lights, to light and power the schools, power solar lanterns, TVs and radios. The donation was part of the telecom’s annual ‘21 Days of Y’ello Care’ campaign activities, which started on June 1 and ended yesterday.

Dario Simbizi, the EU project manager at Mobisol, said facilities will help raise the educational opportunities through their school’s sustainable electrification.

"This additional support for the educational sector is in line with the government’s target to provide 22 per cent of the country’s electricity with off-grid means,” Simbizi said.

The beneficiary schools are Ecole Secondaire Gasange from Gatsibo, Groupe Scolaire Kibara (Ngoma), Kamonyi district’s Groupe Scolaire Ntwali, Groupe Scolaire Bufunda from Nyagatare and Gakenke’s Groupe Scolaire Bumba. Others are Groupe Scolaire Kamashi from Ngororero, Groupe Scolaire Nyamugali (Nyamasheke) and Groupe Scolaire Nkakwa from Nyaruguru district.