As some of you may have noticed, SoccerBlog.com has been a proud promoter of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF.org), a non-profit organization which is making a difference in Africa through bringing solar power to rural villages in developing countries. Specifically, we’re gung-ho about their school projects in Eastern Cape Province, the birthplace of our hero Nelson Mandela.

For the World Cup, SELF has teamed up with SolarWorld to bring solar powered television to the kids at Zwelenqaba, a rural high school solar-electrified by SELF in 2008.  

The SolarWorld – SELF combo is also sponsoring a soccer program at Zwelenqaba with Micah Rose – starting central midfielder for the Swarthmore College Soccer Team that advanced to its second straight NCAA Sweet 16 this past season.  Rose was voted 1st Team All-Centennial Conference and 2nd Team All Mid-Atlantic Region, and made the Centennial Conference Directors Team (1st Team All-Conference and Academic Honor Role) as a sophomore. We’ve asked Micah to share his experiences in South Africa with us at SoccerBlog.com, so stay tuned!

What could be cooler?  Clean energy, soccer, and South Africa!  

Eat your heart out, BP.

PS – Good news!  SELF has been selected as a finalist in the Ashoka ChangeMaker contest for their Solar Market Garden work in Benin.  Check it out, and vote for SELF here >>