Illuminating East Africa: The Story of Sylvie and Christopher, Solar Energy, and a Shared Mission

In Nov 2024, two young graduates from Don Bosco AGL TVETs, Sylvie Mukeshimana from Don Bosco TSS Gatenga Rwanda and Christopher Odiya from Don Bosco VTC Palabek Uganda left their home countries and crossed borders to Don Bosco Technical Institute Tema Ghana to pursue Solar PV Advanced Professional Training thus they went not for leisure, but in search of knowledge, skills and purpose to become part of Africa’s renewable energy revolution.

They arrived in Ashaiman, Ghana, strangers in new land, but quickly found new ground at Don Bosco Technical institute, where they had been accepted into the Advanced solar Training programme.

This was not just a trip-it was a mission.

From Uganda and Rwanda to Ghana, they brought with them stories, struggles and hope. They faced cultural adjustment, pressure to excel, home sickness, and tight training schedules. Yet they endured-because deep down in their hearts, they knew that they were not representing themselves but they were carrying the hope of their families, schools and nation.

Overtime, what started as a training program became a powerful journey of friendship, unity and shared impact. Crossing borders turned them from strangers into teammates, and from classmates into change makers. Every day in the training program was filled with hands-on practice, theory lessons and group project in solar PV system Design, installation, Maintenance, battery storage and smart programming.

Through this intense learning experience, Sylvie and Christopher became more than classmates, they became team mates learning from each other, during difficult moments, encouraging one another during long training days and growing side by sides in their technical and personal journeys.

Christopher’s journey was deeply personal. Coming from a humble family background in northern Uganda, he often spent sleepless night thinking about how this opportunity could change not just his life-but the life of everyone back home. That pressure didn’t break him. Instead, it pushed him harder. His unwavering commitment and discipline paid him off: Christopher graduated with 2^nd position in the entire class earning respect from trainers and peers alike. His name became associated with excellence, humility and resilience.

Sylvie too, rose with brilliance. Her strong focus, precise planning, and smart problems solving skills, made her standout. Always calm, focused and thoughtful, she carried herself with quiet strengths and led by example in every group activity.

When the program ended, it was not just a farewell, it was emotional. Their fellow students missed them deeply-not just because of their leadership and teamwork, but because they had become a family, The training center felt different without them.

Sylvie returned to Rwanda, ready to start her mission of bringing clean energy to her community. Her vision is clear: to use solar energy to solve real problems-powering schools, homes and health centers while inspiring more girls to enter the green tech world.

Christopher remained in Ghana -invited by Don Bosco Technical Institute Ghana to continue his journey through a 6-months teaching practice. Now serving as a mentor and assistant trainer, he supports new students, shares his knowledge and helps others overcome the same challenges he once faced in the classroom and practical labs, he teaches not just system-but courage, hope and focus.

The story of Sylvie and Christopher is not all just about solar panels and wiring diagram. It’s a story. it’s a story of determination, friendship and power of opportunities, sponsored by a program that believe in their potential, they transformed their lives-and now, they’re determined to transform others.

Though they are now in different places, their mission remains the same: to light up East Africa, one panel, one home and one heart at a time.

From crossing borders to building legacies, they are no longer just students, they are change makers.

This was made possible, thanks to the financial and technical support of our long-standing cooperation partner, the Austrian development organization Jugend Eine Welt. In collaboration with Jugend Eine Welt, the Training complements the four-year program “Gender Matters for Green TVET”, which is co-financed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) currently implemented in Uganda and Rwanda. The successful partnership between Jugend Eine Welt and the SDB AGL Province, which is existing since early 2000s includes support for various initiatives.