ONE is excited to be partnering with Discovery Digital Networks to show how Africa is hacking its energy crisis. Laura Ling from Discovery traveled to the incredible country of Tanzania a few weeks back to show us how the lack of access to electricity exactly impacts daily life. Here are some exclusive photos her team took on the ground:
According to a Pew Research Center study in 2014, 73% of Tanzanians own cell phones — up from just 10% in 2002. Cell phones are credited as being one of the main tools propelling Africa forward, however over 600 million sub-Saharan Africans do not have electricity at home. Many visit cell phone charging stations like these to pay for a charging session on their cell phone batteries. Here, a customer retrieves his cell phone from a charging station in a neighborhood of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Hussein Mwende, 18, is frequently studying as he prepares to go to school to become a doctor. However, most of his studying is limited to daylight hours, since he has never lived with electricity at home.
When the sun goes down, Hussein has to use harmful kerosene to continue studying, or walk long distances to find available electricity elsewhere.
Laura Ling and Mwanaidi Mwende discuss the challenges that come with raising a family without electricity, including unavoidable and unhealthy situations like cooking indoors. When asked what her life would be like with electricity, Mwanaidi broke into laughter, since the very idea seems so impossible to her.
Mercy Kitomari, owner of Nelwa’s Gelato, often
faces setbacks for her small business because of constant blackouts.
Movie theaters like these are in villages across Tanzania and sub-Saharan Africa, since most homes do not have electricity. Besides paying to watch movies or sports games, residents can also pay to play video games at this theater in Mkuranga, Tanzania.
Recho Mengo, a supervising clinical officer in Mkuranga, Tanzania, has delivered numerous babies in the dark because her clinic has no power. She improvises and holds a cell phone flashlight in her mouth during an nighttime call.