Africa has a lot to say to the rest of the world, as these pages have already showcased.

Whether it’s how to use local materials! Rediscover earth to build with! Soil and mud in East Africa and East Devon! Or whether it’s looking at ‘why Solarpunk is already happening in Africa: Or: How Africa is building the future by skipping the past’.

On the one hand there is Africa’s technological leapfrogging: From mobile phones to renewable energy:

In renewable energy, for example, African countries are moving straight to solar power, bypassing the need for extensive, centralized electricity grids. In regions where extending the grid is challenging, solar solutions offer a sustainable and affordable alternative. Initiatives such as M-KOPA, which provides pay-as-you-go solar energy, enable families to power their homes without relying on unreliable or costly energy sources.

And on the other hand, there are creative and imaginative visions of what African countries might do – and so, when it comes to Solarpunk, we have a story of sand and energy – in imagining Namibia’s bright future:

Step into a vision of Namibia’s future powered by creativity and clean energy. Solarpunk: A Story of Sand and Energy opened at the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre in Windhoek, blending art, science fiction, and sustainability. Created by Namibian artist Vitjitua Ndjiharine and Spanish artist Rocío Asensi, the exhibition invites visitors to imagine hopeful, regenerative futures rooted in Namibian culture.

Or, rather, both the latest technology and the brightest visions can combine to fulfil great promise – not only in southern Africa, but other parts of the world.

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