Akon is good for more than just making hot beats. The musician has been working towards launching a new academy that will provide reliable electricity to more than 600 million Africans. The “Akon Lighting Africa” initiative is set to launch this summer and will be based out of Bamako, Mali’s capital city.

Akon intends for the sustainable project to prevent the deaths of millions of Africans that could’ve possibly been avoided if they had access to adequate electricity.

Huffington Post reports the academy will hopefully give African engineers and entrepreneurs the skills needed to develop solar power with European experts supplying the training and equipment.

The academy will teach people how to install and maintain solar-powered electricity systems as well as micro grids. Samba Baithily and Thione Niang, who founded the initiative along with Akon explained why solar power is ideal for the area:

“We have the sun and innovative technologies to bring electricity to homes and communities. We now need to consolidate African expertise.”

Africa has 320 days of sunshine a year so harnessing electricity to distribute to those who are unable to get it is ideal. The group also commented the academy will also help job growth, with seventy percent of Africans being under the age of 35.

Niang stated:

“”We expect the Africans who graduate from this center to devise new, innovative, technical solutions.” “With this Academy, we can capitalize on Akon Lighting Africa and go further.”

It’s awesome when celebrities are able to use their influence and resources to do good in the world. We can’t wait to see “Akon Lighting Africa” grow and help those in need.