In Kirehe, a local electrician has used hydroelectric power to help his neighbors build a better future.
These dams divert rivers into waterways that feed a dam, which in turn feeds a small power plant via a pipeline.
The water basin is two and a half kilometers away from Israel Habimana’s Nyagakoma hydropower plant.
The Rwandan government hopes that by allowing small independent power producers to set up homes without power, people will be able to get electricity without being connected to the country’s main grid.
The hydroelectric plant in Habimana employs approximately 15 people.
He claims that while the company has yet to reap the benefits of its investment, it is already changing people’s lives.
Habimana got the idea for hydroelectricity after seeing a similar setup near Kigali’s capital.
He says: ”It is not long since people here have known electricity, many died without having seen it. The idea of building this infrastructure came to me when I saw a lot of lamps in Kibungo and then a small power station that I had seen at the religious house.”
”I never went to school, but that didn’t stop me from doing what I wanted to do, even if it was very difficult for me. I often visited the mini hydroelectric plant of religious people without telling them my objective, and I observed how the machines worked and I did the same thing,” says Habimana.
Although he’s received investment from the government owned Rwanda Energy Group (REG), Habimana says there have been some obstacles.
“The challenges I have are mostly related to the availability of materials, especially cables. Often REG (Rwanda Energy Group) gives me these materials but not all the time. Also, it is difficult for me to increase the capacity of my infrastructure because the demand is high and my revenues are not significant,” he explains.
According to Rwanda Energy Group (REG) statistics, the number of households with access to electricity in the country has increased from 10% in 2010 to 75% in 2022.
The total number of connected households in the country has surpassed two million, but at least 1.4 million families are still without access.
Jacqueline Nyirahirwa’s family is one of those who benefit from Habimana’s hydroelectric plant.
They have been without power for about 15 years.
Nyirahirwa, a teacher, says her family’s life has been difficult without electricity.
”As we live far from public facilities, it’s difficult to live here and we were trapped. Even the basic activities that allow a person to lead a moderate life are not possible without electricity, so life was impossible here,” she says.
According to Nyirahirwa the family is looking forward to a new future.
“With the arrival of electricity in my family a lot will change. We will start watching television, my children will study in the evening without any problem and even safety is there when there is lighting in a house,” she says.
Until now the children here have had to ensure their homework was completed during daylight.
The Rwanda Energy Group is a government owned holding set up to import, export, generate and distribute electricity in the country.
It’s CEO Ron Weiss says at the time Habimana was the only person offering the hope of electricity to the neighbourhood.
“We supported him (Israel Habimana), we even helped him in different ways, even we encourage him to continue because this specific area of Kirehe in that time we need electricity and the grid is not yet coming nearby,” he says.
Since the arrival of electricity in the area, new businesses have sprung up, but in Nyawera, at least 120 families are still waiting for electricity because the plant is too small to generate enough power for everyone who needs it.