Sekoly: Masoandro
Project Masoandro, meaning sun in Malagasy, aims to combat energy poverty and improve educational opportunities through clean and affordable solar energy in hard-to-reach communities.
Across Madagascar, only 36% of the population has access to electricity.1 In underserved rural areas, such as the communities that SEED works with, this figure drops to just 7%2 . SEED’s research has found that rural households typically rely upon kerosene lamps for lighting, yet these are expensive, environmentally unsustainable, and release fumes which are harmful to the health of users. Limited access to proper lighting and energy means that students are often unable to study in the evenings, and teachers must prepare their lessons only during daylight hours. It also makes it difficult for community members to engage in livelihood activities after dark, particularly for women, who are more likely to use their evenings to conduct income-generating activities such as weaving.
As part of the Solar United Madagascar (SUM) consortium, which includes other Madagascar-focused NGOs Money for Madagascar and Feedback Madagascar, as well as social enterprise Jiro-VE, Project Masoandro was launched to establish community-managed solar “Light Libraries” as well as Digital Learning in rural schools. This initiative contributes to the realisation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Project Masoandro Sites
Light Libraries
Project Masoandro began in 2023 with the piloting of SEED’s first two “Light Libraries,” from which communities can rent solar batteries and lamps at the affordable daily fee of 200Ar (approximately 0.03 GBP). The first Light Libraries were established at primary schools in Emagnevy and Esohihy, where SEED has a longstanding presence and where households expressed a need for affordable energy access. Following the success of these sites, a further nine Light Libraries have been set up in communities across rural Anosy.
Each Light Library includes a solar panel system and initial kit of 96 rechargeable solar batteries and lamps. A franchisee is then recruited from the community to manage all Light Library operations, with oversight from support groups that are established in each community. SEED and Jiro-VE provide ongoing training and support to the franchisee.
“I’m proud to be a franchisee in Esohihy because I was born in this village. The members of the community are proud to see one of their family members having such an important job.” – Arthur, Esohihy Franchisee
Solar batteries and lamps have enabled families to light their homes after sunset, improving safety, supporting children to study in the evenings, and assisting parents in engaging in livelihood activities such as mahampy weaving after dark. Several clients have also reported health benefits, including a reduction in respiratory symptoms attributed to smoke inhalation, and fewer malaria cases as mosquitos are attracted to the solar lamp hanging from the ceiling, rather than a kerosene lamp on the floor or table.
Profits from the rental of solar power banks provide an income for the franchisee, and a proportion is allocated as a grant to the hosting school. This enables under-funded schools to purchase vital stationary and equipment to improve the quality of classroom delivery.
Credit: Safidy Andrianantenaina
Credit: Annalisa Demarch
Credit: Safidy Andrianantenaina
Digital Learning
In 2025, the Digital Learning component of Project Masoandro was piloted at Emagnevy Primary School. The local Ministry of Education was trained on the use of tablets loaded with educational and extracurricular materials, empowering them to train and support teachers in Digital Learning practices. The materials provided are aligned with national professional development curricula, enabling teachers to prepare high quality lessons and improve student engagement. The tablets are charged using solar panels installed on the roofs of participating schools, ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy supply.
In close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and local authorities, the Digital Learning project was also launched at schools in Esohihy and Beraketa in November 2025. To date, digital learning has reached 24 teachers and 509 students across the three operational sites.
Where Next for Project Masoandro?
Driven by a commitment to “leave no one behind,” SEED will be continuing to respond to the need for clean energy and education in communities across rural Anosy.
Project Masoandro is increasingly collaborating with teams across SEED’s departments in order to integrate solar energy access into other project designs, including:
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Lighting in schools and teacher accommodations to improve the living conditions, motivation, and retention of teachers (Sekoly Programme).
- Lighting in rural Community Health Centres (CSBs) to improve primary care delivery outside of daylight hours (Project CSB Strengthening).
Credit: Safidy Andrianantenaina
Thanks to the light library, teachers have access to reliable power for essential digital learning equipment.
Credit: Safidy Andrianantenaina
Credit: Safidy Andrianantenaina