Imagine , these people don ’ t have electricity to cook their food , so they burn wood inside their houses ; families do not have refrigerators , so they eat spoiled food ( if they are lucky to have food ); children do not have light under where they can read , so they study beside a candle or not study at all ; fathers and mothers go home from work traversing dark roads or pathways , putting themselves in real danger .
This is what life is for 18 % of the world ’ s population , and I am afraid it is not imaginary .
Providing them electricity is important
Many of the world ’ s un-connected come from rural areas in Africa and Asia . Unfortunately , as emerging regions , Africa and Asia are facing other challenges , such as insufficient food security , inadequate health services , and public infrastructure underdevelopment , aside from limited access to electricity . These aforementioned items often command the attention of the government and key stakeholders , so that access to electricity frequently takes a backseat .
However , the importance of having reliable electricity can never be overstated . With electricity , farmers can grow more food , hospitals and clinics can operate more efficiently , and roads and bridges can be built more quickly . Though not absolutely , a reliable electricity can help solve many of the challenges confronting the world ’ s emerging economies , and it ’ s high time access to electricity gets its share of the spotlight .
With clean electricity , life will get better for the world ’ s poor
One of the staunchest advocates of providing sustainable electricity to the poor is Microsoft founder , billionaire Bill Gates . Through his 2016 Annual Letter , published on www . gatesnotes . com last February , Gates said that if one wanted to help the world ’ s poorest families ( as it is usually the poor that is adversely affected by the absence of reliable electricity ), one had to find a way to provide them with clean electricity that they could afford . He underlined “ clean ”, so that the electricity provided to the poor would not further contribute to climate change .