Liberia, a low-income country in West Africa, has an estimated population of 5 million people, of which only “34% have access to electricity.” Electricity is an important resource for many reasons, such as operating home appliances and powering technology used within health care and education facilities to enhance fundamental services. Therefore, access to electricity is an essential factor in reducing poverty because it develops these basic services, which (in different ways) improve the lives of individuals. This is why the work of the international nongovernmental organization (NGO) Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is so important, as it aims to improve access to electricity in Liberia, allowing the country to foster a better quality of life for its population.

The Work of SEforALL

SEforALL was established by the former United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2011. It is an important organization that creates multifaceted approaches to improving access to African countries, tailoring it to each country’s specific needs. This means that the charity also aims to improve the energy sector of other African countries, such as Nigeria and Zimbabwe. In the case of Liberia, which has “limited electricity generation,” the organization’s strategy to increase access to electricity revolves around utilizing renewable energy sources, such as hydro biomass and solar energy.

These plans are projected to have positive knock-on effects, benefit individuals by making day-to-day tasks easier and providing access to sanitary and more convenient home appliances. In addition, electricity in Liberia will have positive implications for businesses that manufacture exportable materials. For instance, industries with access to electricity in Liberia will allow them to make goods faster, positively affecting the economy and workers.

Sustainability

SEforALL highlights the importance of sustainability in its public statement (as well as its name), emphasizing the importance of improving Africa’s energy sector while acknowledging environmental considerations. Central to the efforts of SEforALL is its mission to provide specialist support, expertise and technology to “accelerate action on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7.” Adequate electricity generation cultivates a higher standard of living for Liberian individuals and the NGO is committed to achieving this sustainably.

This is primarily done by utilizing renewable sources instead of exploiting damaging non-renewable sources because “there is unequivocally no sustainable future in fossil fuel-based power generation.” This is because fossil fuels are enormous contributors to climate change. Liberia is already vulnerable to the adverse effects of global warming due to the country’s “high dependence on climate change sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries, mining and forestry.”

Recording Positive Changes

Research has shown that Liberian land possesses natural energy sources, such as hydro biomass, which needs to be more effectively harvested. Therefore, the efforts of SEforAll, which plans to improve access to electricity in Liberia and aims for “electricity production to reach 5000 GWh by 2030,” are creating better lives in West Africa. This is because the organization acknowledges the need for electricity in Liberia to meet the population’s needs, especially in the digital age, which is driven by technology and powered by electricity.

– Amelie Bunce
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