France, Sept. 8 -- A community of nearly 9,000 homes in rural Malawi last month became the country's first village to receive 100 percent universal access to solar power - a move that it is hoped could inspire change far beyond the region.

Kasakula received universal access to solar power through an award-winning energy model from SolarAid, a small international charity, which chose the remote, low-income village to pilot its Energy-as-a-Service model.

It means that, since the last week of August, it has become 100 percent powered by solar energy, and almost all of its 8 to 9 000 households have access to this solar powered electricity.

Malawi's government is now keen to roll out access across the country, setting a precedent for Afric...