Have you ever lost power in a storm? If you have, it doesn’t take long to realize how integral reliable access to electricity is (and not just for streaming your favorite shows and checking Instagram). However, for more than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, half the population of the U.S., there is no access to reliable energy sources.

Yesterday, President Obama signed the Electrify Africa Act into effect in the United States (read more from our DiscoveryNews.com team), which will help provide energy to 50 million people in Africa. The legislation empowers the President to assist African countries in developing a long-term strategy to improve energy infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. By 2020, the goal is to install at least 20,000 megawatts of electrical power, along with a mix of renewable energy models, such as wind and solar. The measure passed with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate…and on the heels of a partnership between Discovery Digital Networks’ Seeker and the ONE Campaign to shed light on this crisis through a comprehensive digital campaign, including a short-form documentary entitled “How Africa Is Hacking Its Energy Crisis”.

We invite you to watch the video above to learn more about day-to-day life without reliable energy, and join us is cheering on all efforts to ensure millions of Africans will have a future where no one will be left in the dark.