A German-based charitable foundation addressing global challenges is bringing solar panels to Oboadaka, a small village that is not connected to Ghana's national electricity grid, to enable open-air public viewings of many World Cup games.
In 2010 the FIFA World Cup is being held on the African continent for the first time, and will take place in South Africa between 11 June and 11 July. The foundation believes that the initiative will allow nearly 7,000 people in Oboadaka and surrounding villages to follow the games.
"At the public viewing people will experience the benefits and opportunities of renewable energies and political decision-makers will witness how appreciative local people are to no longer be cut off from global events," said WFC councillor Hafsat Abiola-Costello.
He stressed that the aim of the initiative is to show the people that "solar power is reliable and can be installed easily and without the need to connect to the national electricity grid".
"We want to motivate African politicians to support the uptake of renewable energies," he added, referring to the first World Cup to be held on the African continent as "the perfect opportunity to promote the benefits of renewable energy".
The foundation notes that 80% of African people are reliant on wood or coal for fuel, which represents a serious barrier to development and contributes to climate change. However, the current situation is also "a huge opportunity," because if Africa succeeds in meeting the necessary development needs with renewable energies, such as solar, wind and biomass, "a large increase in global carbon emissions could be prevented".
After the World Cup, the solar panels will remain in the village to give the community hospital a permanent and reliable source of electricity.
