Towards a sustainable energy future: 13 new projects supported

The Fondation Nexans has taken another step in favor of access to energy for underprivileged populations by selecting 13 new projects to support. Presented to the Board of Directors in June, these promising projects cover areas ranging from access to renewable energy in rural areas to improving energy efficiency, boosting the employability of young people and promoting sustainable development.

Through these projects, the Foundation's NGO partners are helping to build a sustainable energy future, highlighting the importance of education, gender equality, the circular economy and environmental preservation on different continents. With these new initiatives, the Fondation Nexans strengthens its commitment to a more equitable and sustainable world.

An international project for training in energy and industrial jobs

• Seeds of Hope: IECD is committed to boosting the employability of 1,635 young people in Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco and Lebanon. Lasting 49 months, this project aims to improve training opportunities in the energy and industrial sectors, while helping these young people to integrate into society and the workforce.

6 projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Energy access and efficiency for low-carbon development in rural areas of Benin: GERES works to facilitate access to clean renewable energy in rural areas. The NGO is proposing to carry out an in-depth energy diagnostic in the Idadjo area, in order to identify the electricity needs of economic players and deploy appropriate solutions such as energy access zones and solar kits, thus promoting low-carbon development of the territory. The project will last 36 months and will benefit 20 entrepreneurs and VSEs, generating around 100 jobs, including at least 7 women.
• Electrification of the village of Miawani: the NGO Kumasi Institute of Technology, Energy and Environment (KITE) is undertaking an initiative to extend the Kwaakokrom low-voltage distribution network over a distance of 2.1 kilometers, in Ghana. The main aim of the project is to provide community members with initial access to modern energy services by extending the network. 40 wooden poles and their accessories will be installed, along with a 100 KVA transformer. The project will last 12 months and will directly benefit 4,560 people.
• ERUPIE: FONDEM is working with Nexans to maximize the positive effects of electrification in rural villages in the Marahoué region of Ivory Coast. After electrifying these villages, the NGO joined forces with the Foundation to support 7 women trained in electricity to launch their businesses. The project also aims to support the launch of 15 entrepreneurial groups, the majority of which are women. Its aim is to foster local economic development in 19 localities by offering services linked to access to electricity and capitalizing on the experience of collaboration between the private sector and civil society. The 12-month project will directly benefit 77 people.
• Solar energy for better health in Ivory Coast: Shekina continues its project to install photovoltaic panels in 10 new non-electrified health centers. These installations will provide a total of 17,800 W of solar power, offering better access to healthcare for over 70,000 beneficiaries 24 hours a day. The project will last 24 months.
• Qualification of young people in renewable energy trades: this Mobadara project for Sustainable Development and Tourism aims to create a workshop for learning the trades of maintenance and installation of photovoltaic panels in a second chance center for 240 young people aged 13 to 20 from the commune of Zaio, Morocco. The project is being carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Education, and aims to re-educate and incorporate these young people into educational and socio-economic life, while ensuring the center's self-sufficiency through the installation of photovoltaic panels. An entrepreneurship training component will also be set up in parallel. A total of 300 young people will benefit from this project... 
• Towards sustainability: ACCESMAD is implementing a complementary project to the AFD-supported EDUCMAD+ 2024 program, which enters its third and final phase in March 2024. The aim of this project is to transfer the entire management of the program to the partner establishments, in order to make the program sustainable. It thus aims to assess and implement a sustainability and empowerment strategy for 18 photovoltaic facilities (17 high schools and 1 center) that were installed during previous projects with the Fondation Nexans. The project will run for 12 months and will directly benefit 3,200 people.

6 projects in South America

• Luz al barrio: Techo Peru is actively involved in the project to install 100 street lights in two informal settlements in Lima. In addition to these installations, workshops on energy efficiency will be organized for volunteers and residents of the beneficiary communities. This 6-month project will have a direct impact on 851 people, with 1,702 indirect beneficiaries.
• Luz Limpia al Barrio: Un Techo Para Chile continues to deploy solar street lighting with photovoltaic panels in vulnerable communities in Chile. The aim is to reduce the sense of insecurity in streets and common spaces. The project involves the installation of 100 public lighting systems in 4 regions of the country, over a period of 12 months, and will directly benefit 1,600 people.
• Luz al barrio Colombia: Techo Colombia is installing 100 solar street lights with photovoltaic panels in 6 informal settlements in the cities of Bogota, Cali and Soacha. This initiative, carried out in close collaboration with local communities and the participation of Nexans employees, will eliminate or even reduce the feeling of insecurity in public spaces in these underprivileged neighborhoods. In addition, the installation of these lights will reduce the risk of fire linked to unsecured electrical connections. In addition, the project will facilitate access to technology for the communities concerned. Over a 12-month period, it will directly benefit 1,200 people.
• Community energy: Litro de Luz Brasil is dedicated to installing a photovoltaic generator system in a community center near Rio de Janeiro. This unique project will enable community residents to be trained as solar energy installers by Nexans Brazil. By offering residents work opportunities in a new profession, the project aims to improve their quality of life and build the capacity of change agents within the community. It will benefit 460 people.
• Solar energy and the Internet as tools in the fight against poverty: Litro de Luz is undertaking a project to improve the lives of Colombian communities which, in 2023, will still be lit by candlelight. The project consists of connecting three communities to the Internet for a period of 24 months, by installing 45 affordable and intelligent solar street lamps. In addition to the lighting provided by these streetlamps, a wireless WiFi network will be offered to residents, giving them access to the Internet. In addition, 15 units of solar home systems will be installed, providing families with the electricity they need for televisions, fans, radios and LED lights. The project also aims to train and qualify at least 100 people as light ambassadors. Over a 12-month period, the project will directly benefit 600 people.
• Resilient medical centers in Piura: EcoSwell is implementing a project to improve medical infrastructures in the cities of Suyo and Buenos Aires, in northern Peru. It includes an initial social and technical assessment of two medical centers, the repair of faulty electrical connections, the installation of an UPS (uninterruptible power supply) system, a solar system and measures to ensure the sustainability of the project, including training and communications. After 24 months, over 30,000 people will benefit from these new medical facilities.