Jewish NGO Serves 250,000 in East Africa
Jewish Heart for Africa is now serving 250,000 people in East Africa with Israeli technologies.
The New York-based organization announced the milestone in conjunction with the expected completion of its 57th project later this month. Founded in 2008 by Sivan Borowich Ya’ari, Jewish Heart for Africa has used Israeli solar and agricultural technologies to assist rural villages in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi and Uganda.
“In these villages, solar technology isn’t an alternative energy source, it’s the only energy source,”Ya’ari said in a statement. “Powering a refrigerator, or even a light bulb, can save lives.”
Israel began offering solar technology know-how to Africa as early as 1960, when a team of African scientists visited the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot.
Jewish Heart for Africa announced its goal of doubling the number of people it serves within the next two years.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.

